THE UN PEACEKEEPING mission in Lebanon recorded more than 30 incidents this month resulting in property damage or injury to peacekeepers, with at least around 20 of them from Israeli fire or action.
The UN peacekeeping force has been deployed in Lebanon since Israel’s 1978 invasion of the country. Recently, it has been thrust into the front lines of the new war between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israel repeatedly calling on peacekeepers to abandon their positions.
Of the 30 incidents this month, “about 20 of those we could attribute to IDF fire or actions, with seven being clearly deliberate,” Andrea Tenenti, a spokesman for the force, known as UNIFIL, told a news conference held by video.
For about a dozen other incidents, the origin of fire could not be determined, it said.
“What has been very concerning are incidents where peacekeepers performing their monitoring tasks, as well as our cameras, lighting and entire watchtowers, have been deliberately targeted by the IDF,” Tenenti said, referring to the Israeli military.
On Monday, a rocket that was likely fired by Hezbollah or an affiliated group hit the headquarters of the UN mission in the Lebanese city of Naqoura, he said.
“To be clear, the actions of both the IDF and Hezbollah are putting peacekeepers in danger,” the spokesman said.
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