ROME (Reuters) – The leaders of France, Italy and Spain on Friday condemned the recent targeting of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, by the Israel Defence Forces and said such attacks were “unjustifiable” and should “immediately come to an end.”
Two U.N. peacekeepers were injured on Friday by an Israeli strike near their watchtower in south Lebanon, the Israeli military said, while blasts shook the peacekeepers’ main base in the area for the second time in 48 hours as Israeli forces battled Hezbollah.
France, Italy and Spain, the largest European contributors to UNIFIL in terms of personnel, in a joint statement expressed “outrage” after several peacekeepers were hit at UNIFIL’s main base in Naqoura.
“These attacks constitute serious violation of the obligations of Israel under UNSCR (United Nations Security Council Resolution) 1701 and under humanitarian international law,” the statement said.
“We recall that all peacekeepers must be protected and reiterate our praise for the continued and indispensable commitment of UNIFIL troops/personnel in this very challenging context,” it added, calling for “an immediate ceasefire.”
The three nations said they counted “on Israel’s commitment to the security of UN and bilateral peacekeeping missions in Lebanon as well as international organisations active in the region.”
(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama)
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