Lebanon files complaint at UNSC over Israeli aggression, UNIFIL strike
4 Min Read
Lebanon demands accountability for the Israeli occupation's aggression against it and against UNIFIL forces stationed in its south.
-
A general view of a base of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the Lebanese-Palestinian border, in the southern village of Markaba, on April 7, 2023 (AP)
In a joint statement issued on Monday, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany demanded an end to deliberate attacks on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops operating in southern Lebanon, stating that such actions "must stop" and are "in violation of international humanitarian law."
The statement follows a broader declaration from at least 40 countries made on Saturday, expressing their "full support" for UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon. The declaration came after five UNIFIL personnel were injured in Israeli shelling within the preceding 48 hours.
Published by Poland's mission to the United Nations, the statement urged all parties involved in the war to "respect the presence of UNIFIL" and stressed the need to "ensure the safety and security of all its personnel at all times."
Lebanon's permanent mission to the United Nations, following instructions from the caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdallah Bou Habib, filed a formal complaint with both UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the UN Security Council in response to repeated Israeli attacks on UNIFIL sites in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli occupation had earlier demanded that UNIFIL leave southern Lebanon, claiming that Hezbollah, the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, was "using these forces as human shields."
This comes amid increasing tensions and escalations in the region, with heightened concerns for the safety of international peacekeeping forces stationed in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese mission stressed that these Israeli assaults on UNIFIL represent "a dangerous precedent and a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701." It also highlighted the Israeli efforts to "undermine UNIFIL's mission" and accused the occupation of "violating international legitimacy and disregarding both international law and humanitarian law."
Lebanon's mission called for a "firm and decisive stance" against these attacks, stating that they "amount to war crimes" and demanded their condemnation in the strongest terms, stressing the importance of "holding Israel accountable for these violations and deterring them to prevent future occurrences."
International condemnation
Russia
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its "anger over the Israeli shelling of UNIFIL in Lebanon" and called for an end to hostile actions against them.
Norway
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry also viewed the gunfire directed at UNIFIL by Israeli forces as "extremely dangerous."
Spain
In turn, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged the international community to stop selling arms to "Israel" and condemned the attacks carried out by Israeli forces on the United Nations mission in Lebanon.
China
China also expressed concerns and strong condemnation of Israeli attacks on UN peace operations, after peacekeepers said that Israeli forces fired on their headquarters in south Lebanon.
Referring to the the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, Chinese foreign spokesperson, Mao Ning said "China expresses grave concern and strong condemnation over the Israeli Defense Forces' attack on UNIFIL positions and observation posts, which resulted in injuries to UNIFIL personnel."
UN Secretary-General Guterres
Similarly, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the gunfire at the "UNIFIL" site, noting that "we have made it clear to Israel that this incident is intolerable," pointing out that the assault constitutes a violation of international law.
Impact on the education sector
In addition to the complaint regarding attacks on UNIFIL, Lebanon also filed a second complaint with the UN Security Council addressing the effects of Israeli aggression on Lebanon's educational sector. The Lebanese mission provided detailed statistics on the number of displaced students and teachers in both public and private education across all levels.
The mission outlined the number of schools, universities, and educational buildings that have been rendered unusable and repurposed as shelters for displaced individuals throughout various regions of Lebanon due to the ongoing Israeli attacks.
