THE leaders of France, Italy and Spain have condemned “unjustifiable” Israeli attacks on UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.
The three EU countries released a joint statement which expressed “outrage” over the attacks and accused Israel of seriously violating its obligations under humanitarian international law.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez joined Emmanuel Macron in calling for an immediate end to the hostilities by Israel.
The three countries contribute troops to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) which the French president said are being deliberately targeted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“We condemn it, we do not tolerate it and we do not tolerate it happening again,” Macron said.
Two peacekeepers manning an observation tower were wounded when an Israeli tank fired at a headquarters in the town of Naqoura in southern Lebanon on Thursday, UNIFIL said.
The organisation added its headquarters were affected by further explosions on Friday which injured two peacekeepers.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military said two peacekeepers had been injured by its troops while it was engaging with Hezbollah fighters.
The Italian defence ministry summoned Israel's ambassador in protest while Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris said he was deeply concerned with the Irish Defence Forces serving with UNIFIL.
All Irish troops in the south of Lebanon have been accounted for.
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has also condemned the Israeli attacks. Andrea Tenenti, a spokesperson for UNIFIL, told Sky News his peacekeepers have been attacked four times in the last 48 hours.
He said: “Even the secretary general yesterday was very vocal.
“This is a violation of international humanitarian law, attacking peacekeepers in peacekeeping operations.”
Tenenti explained that the IDF told peacekeepers to move away from the “blue line”, a dividing line between Lebanon and Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where UNIFIL peacekeepers have been attempting to reduce tensions.
UNIFIL had decided to stay to help provide humanitarian support to thousands of people stuck in the south, Tenenti said.
Following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, UN Resolution 1701 was established to allow UNIFIL peacekeepers to help the Lebanese army keep the south of Lebanon free of weapons and armed personnel other than those from the Lebanese state.
Tensions in the area have been rising as fighting in the region has intensified.
An Israeli strike on Thursday in Beirut killed 22 people and wounded 139, according to the Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
