Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to withdraw from southern Lebanon after its forces came under fire. The UN Security Council (UNSC) expressed its ‘deep concern’ over the shelling of UNIFIL facilities, though it did not specifically mention Israel.
In a video message, Netanyahu stated that the UNIFIL forces targeted by the Israeli military should ‘heed Israel’s call’ to withdraw. He dismissed the claim that Israel deliberately targeted UNIFIL personnel as “completely false,” adding that Hezbollah was using UNIFIL facilities and positions as cover.
After a closed-door UNSC meeting on Lebanon, Pascale Baeriswyl, Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN, reiterated that council members were deeply concerned about the recent shelling of UNIFIL facilities.
“UNSC members demand respect for UNIFIL personnel and facilities, and emphasize that UN peacekeepers and their bases must never be targeted,” Baeriswyl said, noting that some peacekeepers had been injured in the attacks.
Baeriswyl added that UNSC members reaffirmed their support for UNIFIL and expressed concern over civilian casualties, destruction, and displacement. She stressed that all parties must comply with international humanitarian law and that UNSC Resolution 1701 must be respected.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the UK issued a joint statement regarding Israel’s actions against UNIFIL.
“We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, express our deep concern over the recent attacks by the Israeli army on UNIFIL bases, which have injured several peacekeepers. These attacks must cease immediately. We condemn any threats to the safety of UNIFIL personnel,” the statement said.
The ministers emphasized that any deliberate attack on UNIFIL is a violation of international humanitarian law and UNSC Resolution 1701, and that ensuring the protection of peacekeepers is the responsibility of all parties involved in the conflict.
The statement concluded: “We call on Israel and all parties to guarantee the safety of UNIFIL personnel at all times and to respect UNIFIL’s mandate. We reaffirm the fundamental role UNIFIL plays in stabilizing southern Lebanon and underline the importance of the UN in resolving armed conflicts and mitigating their humanitarian consequences.”
