2024-10-14 23:20:00
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects allegations that his country’s military deliberately attacked UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) in Lebanon. This is “absolutely wrong”. Rather, Israel’s military is doing its utmost to avoid harming UNIFIL personnel while Israel hits Hezbollah fighters, Netanyahu said. ÖVP Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said on ORF’s ZiB 2 on Monday evening that a ceasefire was necessary.
“The protection and safety of soldiers is a duty,” emphasized Schallenberg. He spoke of a violation of international law, as the UNIFIL soldiers – including around 160 Austrians – were a stability factor in the region. Schallenberg announced six million euros in aid for the region. According to his office, three million of these are going to Syria, two million to Lebanon and one million to Jordan. The recipients are the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR, the UN Children’s Fund UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC. The money comes from the State Department’s Foreign Disaster Fund.
Schallenberg also spoke out against changing the mandate, for example regarding the use of weapons. He described the current situation as “highly explosive”. The aim is to do everything possible to ensure security, including “for our soldiers”. Despite the dangerous situation, all signs point to Austria’s soldiers remaining on site, said Schallenberg.
Meanwhile, against the background of the ongoing fighting between Israel and Lebanon, the UN Security Council expressed “great concern after several UNIFIL positions came under fire in recent days,” said the chairmanship of the UN Security Council, which is currently held by Switzerland. “Several peacekeepers were injured.”
The head of the UN peacekeeping missions, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said that UNIFIL would hold its positions in Lebanon despite Israeli demands for withdrawal. “The decision was made that UNIFIL will remain in its positions despite the requests of the Israeli Defense Forces to vacate the positions near the Blue Line,” Lacroix stated. This decision still applies and was confirmed on Monday by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “The best way to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel is for UNIFIL to comply with Israel’s request and temporarily withdraw from the danger zone,” Netanyahu had said earlier.
On Sunday, the UN mission accused the Israeli army of using tanks to invade a UN peacekeeper position in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army later said it had learned that one of its tanks had attempted to evacuate wounded soldiers while under fire. He retreated “several meters” into a UNIFIL base.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force has been stationed in Lebanon since 1978 and includes more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians. Since Resolution 1701, passed by the UN Security Council after the Lebanon War in 2006, the tasks of the Blue Helmet Force have been significantly expanded. The resolution stipulates, among other things, that only UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army troops should be deployed in the border area with Israel. Hezbollah remained there regardless.
In Germany’s view, the Israeli attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers in southern Lebanon contradict international humanitarian law and must be stopped immediately. In a joint statement with Italy, Great Britain and France, Berlin emphasized their “indispensable stabilizing role” in the region. Israel and other parties must guarantee the safety of the peacekeepers at all times.
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