Attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon ‘unacceptable’, says Italy’s Meloni
Al JazeeraOct 18
Report: UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon Targeted Primarily by Israel 30 Times in October
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Above: An armored vehicle of the United Nations Interim Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) after UNIFIL reported that the Israeli army opened fire on their position in southern Lebanon on Oct. 25, 2024. Image copyright: UNIFIL Media Office/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
According to the UN's peacekeeping force in South Lebanon (UNIFIL), the mission was targeted over 30 times in October — including attacks on its property and soldiers. It said it could "attribute" 20 such incidents to Israel, including seven that were "clearly deliberate."
A UNIFIL spokesperson said that while Israel targeted the agency's "watchtowers," "lighting," and "peacekeepers performing their monitoring tasks," Hezbollah or an affiliated group was likely behind a rocket attack on Monday.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel has worked successfully with the US and UN to weaken Hezbollah and clear the threat to Israel's north. With Hezbollah's elite forces and missile stockpile significantly reduced, a diplomatic agreement could solidify these military successes, ensuring security along the border and allowing Israeli civilians to return home safely. Israel and UNIFIL are allies in the fight against terrorism, and now they must come together to establish a final peace agreement.
Pro-Israel narrative
Critics of Israel are ignoring the fact that UNIFIL has been co-opted by Hezbollah terrorists. According to captured Hezbollah operatives, the terror group paid off UNIFIL personnel to facilitate its goals — including control over UNIFIL cameras for surveillance. This undermines UNIFIL's mandate under Resolution 1701 to prevent Hezbollah's militarization along the Israeli border. Given UNIFIL's alleged complicity, Israel's defensive actions are justified.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel is committing war crimes not only against Palestinians and Lebanese but also against UN personnel. Its criminalization of UNRWA — a lifeline for Palestinian refugees — while targeting UN staff and facilities shows clear genocidal intent. New Knesset laws ban UNRWA, flouting international law and ignoring UN orders to protect Palestinian civilians. Israel should be removed from the UN just as South Africa was during its apartheid regime.
