There has been one other incident involving UNIFIL troops in Lebanon. According to the UN, an Israeli tank fired at an statement tower, inflicting property injury. Defense Minister Pistorius known as for an finish to the assaults.
According to the United Nations, an Israeli battle tank shelled an statement tower of the UN mission UNIFIL in southern Lebanon within the south of Lebanon. “This morning, peacekeepers at a position near Kfar Kila observed an Israel Defense Forces ‘Merkava’ tank firing at their guard tower,” UNIFIL mentioned. Two cameras had been destroyed and the tower was broken.
It was “direct and apparently deliberate” shelling, the assertion mentioned. The UN observers known as on the Israeli military to make sure the protection of UN personnel and property. The inviolability of the United Nations and its property have to be revered.
It’s not the primary incident. Last week, 5 peacekeepers had been injured throughout Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, sparking worldwide outrage. Israeli tanks broke by way of the principle gate of a UN submit.
Pistorius: No German solo effort
Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius criticized the violence towards troopers of the UN peacekeeping mission. At a gathering along with his Dutch colleague Ruben Brekelmans, the SPD politician mentioned that “regardless of whether they were deliberate attacks” by Israel on the peacekeepers or “inadvertent mistakes (…) by individual forces”, such incidents had been “fast and direct to cease”.
It have to be “clear that our peacekeepers there (…) are safe, as far as one can be safe in such an area,” Pistorius added. The federal authorities can be making this “very, very clear” to Israel. Germany is not going to determine by itself authority whether or not to withdraw its UNIFIL troopers, mentioned Pistorius. There are “no solo efforts” on the German facet right here. “We will not say out of ourselves that we are withdrawing because of this or that,” assured Pistorius.
UN mission since 1978
UNIFIL troopers have been stationed in Lebanon since 1978. The mission includes greater than 10,000 troopers and civilians. The European nations most closely concerned embrace Italy with a great 1,000 troopers, Spain with round 680 and France with 670. The Bundeswehr is concerned within the maritime element of UNIFIL. The most mandate for the Bundeswehr is 300 troopers.
https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/asien/libanon-unifil-israel-100.html