UNIFIL reported on October 11 that the Israel Defense Forces carried out multiple attacks on its base in southern Lebanon, destroying a watchtower and communication and lighting equipment and injuring some staff members.

A dangerous move

The attack on UNIFIL marks a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Lebanon. UNIFIL said its peacekeepers have been hit 20 times since Israel announced a limited ground offensive against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in late September. Five peacekeepers were injured and the main gate of a post was destroyed by Israeli tanks, which the UN said was a deliberate act. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said: “They're carrying out an investigation on what happened, but I think it's very clear that when you hit the tower inside a unifiled quarter or you hit the cameras of one of our positions or the communications or the illumination or you enter with drones close to a bunker is definitely concerning because we see as a deliberate attack against our troops.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said criticizing the Israeli army is absurd because the Israeli army had repeatedly asked UNIFIL to withdraw from southern Lebanon, especially from positions around the Blue Line separating Lebanon, northern Israel, and the Golan Heights, to avoid UNIFIL serving as a “human shield” for Hezbollah.

Netanyahu’s explanation was not accepted by the international community. Most countries and organizations have issued statements calling all attacks against UNIFIL “unacceptable” and insisting they stop immediately.

In a statement issued on Monday, all 15 members of the UN Security Council, including allies of Israel, called on all parties to respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and facilities. The statement said UN peacekeeping forces and facilities are never a justifiable target of attack and reaffirmed the UNSC’s support for UNIFIL and its importance to regional stability.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said UNIFIL will not withdraw from any positions around the Green Line, despite demands from Israel.

“The peacekeepers are currently staying in all the positions. This is a decision that we've made after thorough consideration of all the elements, including safety and security of our peacekeepers, and also the responsibility we have in regard to the mandate and the population.”

Israel confronts criticism

Among the countries and international organizations opposing the Israeli army’s targeting of UNIFIL, the EU countries have reacted most strongly. In multiple statements, the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, and Spain have harshly criticized the IDF’s actions. These countries have sent troops to UNIFIL and are the strongest supporters of UNSC Resolution 1701 adopted in 2006 to maintain peace on the border between Israel and Lebanon.

Observers say the EU views the attacks on UNIFIL as a provocation demanding stronger reactions from EU countries against Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron warned last Saturday that France will not tolerate any further attacks on UNIFIL. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on the EU to recognize the state of Palestine and suspend its free trade agreement with Israel.

“The European Commission and all European governments need to respond decisively to the formal request raised by Spain and Ireland nine months ago and suspend the free trade agreement with the Israeli government,” said Sanchez.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said in a statement on Monday that the 27 EU members unanimously demanded that Israel stop attacking UN peacekeepers.

Many other countries have also demanded that the Israeli army end its attacks on UNIFIL. Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan said these attacks damage the reputation of the UN as being unable to ensure the safety of its staff. Erdogan called on the international community, especially Israel's Western allies, to put greater pressure on Israel diplomatically and militarily to end the escalation in Lebanon.

However, these calls are going nowhere. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel’s army will continue to strike Hezbollah across Lebanon, and once again warned UNIFIL to withdraw its peacekeepers from the combat zone in Lebanon.