Israel’s fire on peacekeepers sparks global condemnation, outcry

BEIRUT

Israel has faced backlash and a series of condemnations after it fired on positions of the United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with the second such event unfolding on Oct. 11 in the latest escalation.

U.N. peacekeepers said Israeli fire on their headquarters in south Lebanon on Oct. 10 left two Blue Helmets injured, sparking condemnation from European members of the mission.

Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah militants near U.N. posts in an operation that came after the peacekeeping mission rejected Israeli demands to "relocate" from some of its positions.

"This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall," the force said. The two peacekeepers did not suffer serious injuries, "but they remain in hospital," it added.

On Oct. 11, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said an Israeli "Merkava tank targeted one of the UNIFIL towers on the main road linking Tyre and Naqura,” wounding personnel from a Sri Lankan battalion.

According to UNIFIL, the Israeli military also hit another position in Ras Naqura, further to the south.

The peacekeeping force said it hit "the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system.”

An IDF drone was observed flying inside the U.N. position up to the bunker entrance, it said.

In a written statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, "Israel's targeting of U.N. forces after its massacres of civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon is a manifestation of the perception that every step it takes goes unpunished.”

"The international community is obliged to ensure that Israel abides by the law," the ministry said.

The ministry said Türkiye contributes a corvette to UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force and has five personnel stationed at its headquarters.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that “the hostile acts” committed and repeated by Israeli forces against the base could constitute war crimes.

Italy has more than 1,000 troops in the 10,000-strong force in south Lebanon, according to UNIFIL. France has more than 700 soldiers in the force, while Spain has around 670. About 50 countries contribute to the force.

The defense minister said Italy has asked for an official explanation for the tank fire "because it was not a mistake.”

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said the Italian government "has formally protested to Israeli authorities and has firmly reiterated that what is happening near the UNIFIL contingent base is unacceptable.”

Italy also summoned the Israeli ambassador but the minister said he had not received a satisfactory explanation.

France's Foreign ministry said it would also seek "explanations from the Israeli authorities" over the incident. "The protection of U.N. peacekeepers is an obligation for all parties in a conflict," it added.

With Spain's Foreign Ministry describing the incident as a "grave violation of international law,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the international community to stop selling weapons to Israel.

UNIFIL was set up in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded Lebanon in reprisal for a Palestinian attack.

It was bolstered by Security Council Resolution 1701 after Hezbollah and Israel fought a war in 2006. Its peacekeepers are tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between the two sides.

Indonesia on Oct. 10 confirmed two of its U.N. peacekeepers were injured in Israeli fire in Lebanon and called the attack a violation of international law.

Russia, China, Canada and Norway were among the countries that condemned the fire by Israel.

In the meantime, rescue workers searched through the rubble of a collapsed building in central Beirut on Oct. 11 morning, hours after two Israeli strikes hit the Lebanese capital, killing at least 22 people and wounding dozens.

The air raid was the deadliest attack on central Beirut in over a year of war, hitting two residential buildings in neighborhoods that have swelled with displaced people fleeing Israeli bombardment elsewhere in the country.