UN Security Council condemns Israeli attacks on UNIFIL

In a statement, the Council condemned the attacks on October 29, November 7 and November 8, which wounded several Blue Helmets.

“They urged all parties to take all measures to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises,” the Council announced.

The Security Council “recalled that peacekeepers must never be the target of an attack” and offered its “full support” to UNIFIL.

The Council members also “expressed their deep concern for civilian casualties and sufferings” in the conflict in general, as well as “the destruction of civilian infrastructure” and “damage to cultural heritage sites in Lebanon”.

It specifically expressed worry about the “endangerment of the UNESCO world heritage sites, and the rising number of internally displaced people”.

Israel launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on 1 October. Since then, the occupation forces have repeatedly fired on positions held by UNIFIL, an international body of over 10,000 civilian and military personnel from 50 countries.

Last week, UNIFIL announced that the Israeli military’s “deliberate and direct destruction” of its property is a flagrant violation of international law.