Brussels has condemned all attacks against United Nations missions in a statement published by outgoing foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
The condemnation comes in response to the alleged targeting of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, by the Israel Defence Forces.
“Such attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute a grave violation of international law and are totally unacceptable. These attacks must stop immediately,” Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the EU published Sunday night.
“The EU condemns all attacks against UN missions.
“It expresses particularly grave concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces against UNIFIL, which left several peacekeepers wounded,” he added.
In his statement, Borrell said “all actors” in the conflict have the obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property.
“We urgently await explanations and a thorough investigation from the Israeli authorities about the attacks against UNIFIL, which plays a fundamental role in the stability of South Lebanon,” he said.
Tensions between Israel and Ireland have increased after Dublin refused a request from Jerusalem to move Irish United Nations peacekeepers stationed in Lebanon. https://t.co/wK8NilTVoh
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 7, 2024
Israel has disputed some UN accounts of incidents involving UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they were providing “human shields” for Hezbollah militants during an upsurge in hostilities.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen on Monday accused the United Nations UNIFIL peacekeepers in south Lebanon of being a useless force that failed to protect Israeli citizens from Hezbollah attacks and called on it to withdraw as fighting ramps up.
“The State of Israel will do everything to ensure the safety of its citizens, and if the UN cannot help, at least it should not interfere, and move its personnel from the combat zones,” he said on social media.
Accusations have been flying between Israel and the United Nations over its peacekeepers in south Lebanon, as Israel pushes its force through the area, determined to wipe out Iran-backed Hezbollah and its military infrastructure.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force said two Israeli Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate of a base and forcibly entered before dawn on Sunday. After the tanks left, shells exploded 100 metres away, releasing smoke which blew across the base and sickened UN personnel, it said in a statement.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah resumed a year ago when the Iranian-backed group began firing rockets at Israeli positions in support of Hamas at the start of the Gaza war and has sharply escalated in recent weeks.
The European Union has “condemned” Iran’s ballistic missile strike on Israel and called for an immediate ceasefire across the Middle East. https://t.co/73ibh37Uof
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 2, 2024
