The UN peacekeeping mission caught in the crosshairs in southern Lebanon

  • 2 days ago

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Transcript
00:00UN peacekeepers monitor the blue demarcation line which divides the country from Israel.
00:05Two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka were injured on Friday by an Israeli strike near a UN watchtower.
00:10A spokesperson for the UN mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL, says it has been targeted by Israeli
00:15attacks.
00:16This is a violation of Security Council Resolution 1701, but it's a grave violation of international
00:24humanitarian law.
00:25And it was a deliberate attack, at least the one against our cameras, against the mission.
00:33So highly concerning, again, because our monitoring capability has been limited.
00:39Two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured on Thursday after falling from a watchtower following
00:44Israeli tank fire.
00:46Israel says its forces had opened fire nearby because Hezbollah militants were operating
00:50in the area.
00:52Countries worldwide reacted with outrage at the latest violence, including France, which
00:57has personnel in the UN mission.
01:00The 700 French soldiers committed to this force are a sign of our unwavering support
01:07and of our desire to be committed to the security of both Israel and Lebanon.
01:15It is therefore totally unacceptable for UNIFIL troops to be deliberately targeted by Israeli
01:20armed forces.
01:21We condemn it.
01:22We will not tolerate it and we will not accept it happening again.
01:27France summoned Israel's ambassador.
01:28The UN Secretary General, meanwhile, also said there must be no repeat of incidents.
01:35Peacekeepers must be protected by all parties of the conflict.
01:39And what has happened is obviously condemnable.
01:43This incident is intolerable and it cannot be repeated.
01:48The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, has around 10,000 peacekeepers stationed in
01:53the south of the country.
01:55It refused Israel's order to evacuate 29 of its positions in the border region when the
01:59IDF launched its invasion on the 30th of September.

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