Israeli forces have acted illegally by shooting at positions used by UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday, denouncing it as a possible war crime.
The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel — an area that has seen serious clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
UNIFIL said two of its peacekeepers were injured when Israeli soldiers fired on its positions on both Wednesday and Thursday.
“This was not a mistake and not an accident,” Crosetto told a news conference. “It could constitute a war crime and represented a very serious violation of international military law,” he said.
Crosetto said he had contacted his Israeli counterpart to protest and had also summonsed the Israeli ambassador to Italy to demand an explanation, which was not yet forthcoming.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Unlike some European countries, Italy has been highly supportive of Israel throughout its year-long war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Italy has traditionally supplied a large number of troops to UNIFIL, and although none of its contingent was injured this week, Crosetto said the Israeli actions would not be accepted.
Israel has sought to shift the UNIFIL peacekeepers away from the border, but Italy said it had no right to do so.
“I told the ambassador to tell the Israeli government that the United Nations and Italy cannot take orders from the Israeli government,” Crosetto said.
France Demands Explanation
France said it was waiting for explanations from Israel after UN peacekeeping troops were targeted and that it was an obligation to ensure their safety.
“France expresses its deep concern following the Israeli shots that hit the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and condemns any attack on the security of UNIFIL,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that none of its 700 troops in the mission had been wounded.
“We await explanations from the Israeli authorities. The protection of peacekeepers is an obligation that applies to all parties to a conflict.”
’Move’
Israel is focused on fighting Hezbollah and recommends that the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon move north, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said on Thursday after Israeli forces fired on several UN positions.
“Our recommendation is that UNIFIL relocate 5 km (3 miles) north to avoid danger as fighting intensifies and while the situation along the Blue Line remains volatile as a result of Hezbollah’s aggression,” Danon said in a statement.
He said that “Israel has no desire to be in Lebanon, but it will do what is necessary” to force Hezbollah away from its northern border so 70,000 residents can return to their homes in northern Israel.
(with Reuters inputs)
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