Dozens of countries that contribute to UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon strongly condemn Israel’s attacks

The statement was posted on X by Poland’s mission to the UN, after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported a fifth member of the peacekeeping force was injured in southern Lebanon on Friday.

“Such actions must stop immediately and should be adequately investigated,” the statement said, adding: “We urge the parties of the conflict to respect UNIFIL’s presence, which entails the obligation to guarantee the safety and security of its personnel at all times.”

Co-signatories of the statement include the UK, France, India, Germany and Spain.

Since Thursday, UNIFIL reported that two peacekeepers were injured after an Israeli tank fired toward its observation tower in Naqoura, causing it to collapse. On Friday UNIFIL announced two more were hurt after two explosions near the observation tower.

Sri Lanka and Indonesia, whose nationals were among the injured, condemned the incidents.

On Friday a fifth peacekeeper was hit by gunfire at its headquarters in Naqoura due to ongoing military activity nearby, according to a UNIFIL statement released on Saturday.

A spokesman for the UN peacekeepers in Lebanon stressed he fears an Israeli escalation against the country could soon spiral out of control.

This risks “turning very soon into a regional conflict with catastrophic impact for everyone”, UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told the AFP news agency, calling for a diplomatic solution.