Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – European Commission criticises attack on UNIFIL forces in Lebanon.
European Union’s Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano said that the Israeli occupation’s aggression on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was unacceptable.
What did Peter Stano say about Israeli aggression on UNIFIL?
He said during a press meeting in Brussels that any deliberate attack on peacekeeping forces forms a serious breach of international humanitarian law and relevant Security Council resolutions. Also, Stano said that the matter was very high on the European Commission‘s agenda and that it will definitely be examined by the EU Foreign Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting next Monday.
How are Israeli actions breaching international humanitarian law?
The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon affirms that its headquarters in Naqoura was struck by explosions for the second time in 48 hours, a day after Israeli forces hit the same position. Two peacekeepers from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were wounded after two explosions occurred close to an observation building, the UN mission stated in a statement.
“This is a grave development, and UNIFIL restates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times,” it said. “Any deliberate raid on peacekeepers is a grave breach of international humanitarian law.”
The organisation also stated “Several T-walls at our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, fell when an [Israeli military] caterpillar hit the perimeter and [Israeli] tanks rolled in the proximity of the UN position”, referring to the boundary line between Israel and Lebanon. “Our peacekeepers remained at the location”, it stated, adding that additional peacekeepers were moved to reinforce the position.
