Israeli forces have been accused by UN peacekeepers of deliberately damaging a position in southern Lebanon. The UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that an Israeli army bulldozer demolished an observation tower and perimeter fence of a UN position. This incident comes after Israel claimed that Hezbollah was using positions near UNIFIL posts to attack Israel, which Hezbollah denies. UNIFIL has called on Israel to stop breaching UN positions, calling it a violation of international law.
In a separate incident, an Israeli tank fired on a UNIFIL watchtower, following previous attacks on UN positions where soldiers were injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded the removal of UNIFIL troops, accusing them of providing a “human shield” for Hezbollah. However, the UN maintains that the mission, which has been in place since 1978 with troops from over 50 countries, will remain.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the attacks on UN peacekeepers, stating that they may constitute a war crime. Israel’s actions have been criticized internationally, with calls for the country to respect the safety and security of UN personnel and property. Despite the pressure being exerted, UNIFIL remains deployed in all positions to carry out its mission of monitoring the border region between Israel and Lebanon.
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