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Netanyahu: UNIFIL must follow Israel’s orders and move out of south Lebanon

October 15, 2024 at 1:48 pm

A demonstrator holds a banner with the portrait of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next to list with dead Palestine people at Plaza de Mayo Square in Buenos Aires on 7 October, 2024 [JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened that members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) may face the risk of being exposed to Israeli fire if its members do not respond to Tel Aviv’s request to “temporarily evacuate its positions” in southern Lebanon.

On Monday evening, Italy, the UK, France, and Germany called on Israel to stop its attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and said in a joint statement that attacks on UNIFIL go against international humanitarian law and must stop immediately.

The four countries stressed “the essential stabilising role” played by UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, adding that Israel and other parties must ensure the safety of the peacekeepers at all times.

In recent days, Netanyahu has reiterated his calls to immediately remove UNIFIL from the Israeli occupation army’s line of fire in southern Lebanon. In a video statement issued on Sunday, he addressed UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urging him to remove UNIFIL forces from the border area and evacuate the sites located in areas they risk being harmed by the occupation army.

READ: UNIFIL rejects Israel evacuation orders from southern Lebanon

UNIFIL has refused to withdraw from its positions in the border area in southern Lebanon, despite attacks that have wounded five of its members over the past two days. Last Saturday, 40 countries participating in the force strongly condemned the recent attacks against peacekeepers, stressing that “such acts must stop immediately and be properly investigated.”

Netanyahu yesterday claimed that the accusations that Israel deliberately attacked UNIFIL personnel is completely false, noting that “on the contrary, Israel has repeatedly asked UNIFIL to stay away from danger zones. I asked them to leave the combat zone, which is located next to the Israeli border with Lebanon, temporarily.”

He added, “In fact, on the day Israel began its ground operation near our border with Lebanon, we specifically asked them to leave the area so they wouldn’t be harmed. Israel is not in conflict with UNIFIL, but rather is fighting Hezbollah, which uses Lebanese territory to launch attacks on Israel.”

He stressed that “Israel has the right to defend itself against Hezbollah and will continue to do so. We regret any harm that may befall UNIFIL personnel. The Israeli Armed Forces are doing their best to prevent such incidents. However, the best way to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel is for UNIFIL to respond to Israel’s request and temporarily move away from danger areas.”