World reactions on Israel's attack on UNIFIL: Is it a war crime?
Italy's defense minister Thursday said firing at the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon and other incidents the force blames on Israel "could constitute war crimes".
"The hostile acts committed and repeated by Israeli forces against the base... could constitute war crimes," defense minister Guido Crosetto told a press conference, adding that Italy has asked for an official explanation "because it was not a mistake".
Crosetto slammed the "shooting" as "intolerable" and said he "protested" to Israel's defense minister and summoned the Israeli ambassador over the incident.
"The shooting at the UNIFIL headquarters" and other incidents involving "small arms fire" are "intolerable, they must be carefully and decisively avoided", Crosetto said in a statement.
"For these reasons, I protested to my Israeli counterpart and the Israeli ambassador to Italy," he said.
Italy has more than 1,000 troops in the 10,000 strong UNIFIL force in south Lebanon that said Israeli tank fire on its headquarters wounded two members.
Crosetto said he told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant "that what is happening... starting from the shooting at the UNIFIL headquarters is, for me and for the Italian government, unacceptable.
"Any possible error that could put the soldiers, both Italian and UNIFIL, at risk must be avoided," he said.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said the government "has formally protested to the Israeli authorities and has firmly reiterated that what is happening near the UNIFIL contingent base is unacceptable".
UNIFIL has called for a ceasefire since an escalation between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on September 23, after a year of cross-border fire.
Crosetto said there had been other incidents, including the deliberate disabling of perimeter-monitoring cameras and the shooting at a lighting and a relay station, all of which were "in clear contrast to international law".
"This morning I sent a formal communication to the United Nations to reiterate the unacceptability of what is happening in South Lebanon," he said.
Thursday's incident is the most serious reported by UNIFIL since it said last week it had rejected Israeli demands to "relocate" from some positions.
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 in Security Council Resolution 1701 after Hezbollah and Israel fought a war in 2006, and its peacekeepers are tasked with monitoring the ceasefire between the two sides.
The UNIFIL force, which has some 10,000 peacekeepers in south Lebanon, said that Israeli tank fire on its headquarters wounded two members, as Israeli troops battle Hezbollah fighters on the border.
- France demands 'explanations' -
France said it expects "explanations" from Israel after Israeli fire wounded two U.N. peacekeepers.
"We expect explanations from the Israeli authorities," the French foreign ministry said in a statement. "The protection of U.N. peacekeepers is an obligation for all parties in a conflict," it added.
- EU, Jordan condemn strike -
The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has sharply condemned Israeli strikes on the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon as “an inadmissible act, for which there is no justification.”
“Another line has been dangerously crossed in Lebanon,” he wrote on social media platform X.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry also denounced the Israeli strikes on the U.N. base as a “dangerous escalation” and “flagrant violation of international law.”
- Spain says firing at UN peacekeepers 'grave violation' of international law -
Spain said that shots fired on the headquarters of United Nations peacekeepers were a "grave violation of international law".
"The Spanish government strongly condemns the Israeli fire that hit the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura," the foreign ministry said in a statement, demanding that the security of the peacekeepers be "guaranteed".
- White House 'deeply concerned' -
The White House is "deeply concerned" by reports Israel fired on U.N. peacekeeper headquarters in south Lebanon, a National Security Council spokesperson said Thursday.
"We understand Israel is conducting targeted operations near the Blue Line to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure that could be used to threaten Israeli citizens," the spokesperson said, referring to the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon. "While they undertake these operations, it is critical that they not threaten U.N. peacekeepers' safety and security."
- Israel says instructed troops before firing -
The Israeli military said its forces opened fire Thursday in the area where U.N. peacekeepers have their headquarters in south Lebanon, insisting that Hezbollah fighters were operating nearby.
"This morning, IDF (Israeli military) troops operated in the area of Naqoura, next to a UNIFIL base," the military said, referring to the U.N. peacekeepers headquarters. "Accordingly, the IDF instructed the U.N. forces in the area to remain in protected spaces, following which the forces opened fire in the area."
Source: Agence France Presse
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