Picture: UNIFIL peacekeepers patrolled southern Lebanon on the 12th. \AFP
[Ta Kung Pao News]According to AFP, the Lebanese-Israeli conflict has continued to escalate in recent days. Israel has repeatedly attacked facilities of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), injuring at least five peacekeepers. On the 12th, 40 countries participating in sending peacekeepers to UNIFIL, including Indonesia, Italy, India, France, China, and Spain, issued a joint statement strongly condemning attacks on peacekeepers. However, Israel obviously has no intention of repenting and instead demands that UNIFIL troops withdraw from the fighting area in southern Lebanon.
The joint statement signed by 40 countries was posted on social platforms by the Permanent Mission of Poland to the United Nations. The statement said attacks against UNIFIL peacekeepers must stop immediately and the attacks should be “fully investigated.” The statement reiterated its full support for UNIFIL, whose main goal is to achieve stability and lasting peace in southern Lebanon and the Middle East. “We urge all parties to the conflict to respect the presence of UNIFIL, which implies the obligation of all parties to guarantee the safety of their personnel at all times.”
UNIFIL was established in accordance with Security Council Resolution 425 in 1978. In August 2006, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 after the conflict between Lebanon and Israel, deciding to expand the mandate of UNIFIL and increase troop deployment to maintain security in southern Lebanon. Since the 10th of this month, the Israeli army has fired at UNIFIL guard towers and camps many times, injuring at least five peacekeepers. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed on the 13th that he urged UN Secretary-General Guterres to withdraw UNIFIL troops from the fighting area in southern Lebanon for the sake of their own safety.
source: china