Italian PM visits Lebanon after Israeli attacks on UNIFIL
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Five peacekeepers were injured last week, with the most recent involving the UN force accusing Israeli forces of bursting through a fence and invading one of their posts.
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Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati upon her arrival in Lebanon on October 18, 2024. (Italian Government handout)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office announced she arrived in Lebanon, becoming the first head of state or government to do so since the Israeli aggression began on Lebanon.
The premier was greeted at Beirut International Airport by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, with whom she was scheduled to meet before delivering a joint statement to the press.
Italy has around 1,000 troops as part of the UN peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, which has recently been attacked by "Israel."
In one of the latest acts of aggression against the UNIFIL, Israeli tanks made an incursion into one of the peacekeepers' positions after having fired at them earlier in the week and used them as human shields against the Lebanese Resistance.
On Wednesday, UN troops in Lebanon reported that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shot at one of their locations in South Lebanon.
Peacekeepers in the southern town of Kfar Kila saw an IOF tank "firing at their watchtower," UNIFIL stated, adding that "two cameras were destroyed, and the tower was damaged" in what the force described as "direct and apparently deliberate fire on a UNIFIL position."
Five peacekeepers were injured last week, with the most recent attack involving the UN force accusing Israeli forces of bursting through a fence and invading one of their posts.
Meloni called the incident "unacceptable," in a meeting with Italy's bilateral mission in Lebanon, MBIL, which oversees a training program, and addressed the region, efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, and of course touched on the release of Israeli captives.
Israeli forces deliberately targeted UNIFIL bases: Official
"The Israeli Army's targeting of UNIFIL forces was deliberate, unlike what Israeli officials are saying," UNIFIL spokesperson in Lebanon Andrea Tenenti confirmed on Friday, stressing that "Israel" targeted the forces several times, five of which were intentional.
According to Tenenti, the watchtower in Naqoura was directly targeted, resulting in the injury of two peacekeeping forces. The IOF also targeted the communication systems and cameras, and entered one of UNIFIL's locations a few days ago, staying there for 45 minutes.
All of these incidents were deliberate, Tenenti added, emphasizing that not only do they violate resolution 1701, but international law as well.
In a press conference of UN journalists in Geneva, the spokesperson revealed that peacekeeping forces are forced to stay in shelters for long durations due to the violent bombing.
"The Israeli side requested that we move from some positions along the Blue Line. We have about 29 sites very close to the Blue Line, within a distance of 5 km, but we decided not to move because it is important for the United Nations flag to remain raised there. We are at these locations at the request of the Security Council and the international community," he said.
He further stressed that UNIFIL needs to remain in Lebanon, and "the morale of the peacekeeping forces is still very high."
“We believe that we are here for a reason and like any other military unit we try to lift each other’s spirits,” @UNIFIL_ peacekeeper in southern #Lebanon says, reflecting on the challenges posed by ongoing hostilities in the region
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) October 17, 2024
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