Oct. 11 (UPI) — Israel has come under international criticism after its military attacked U.N. bases in southern Lebanon, causing damage and injuring two peacekeepers.
In a stern and direct statement, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said two peacekeepers were injured Thursday morning after an Israel Defense Forces tank fired and hit a UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters tower, causing them to fall.
The injuries sustained by the peacekeepers were not serious, but they remain hospitalized, UNIFIL said. Israel has also been accused of firing upon other U.N. bases, one in Labbouneh and another in Naqoura, causing damage to both.
Indonesia identified the injured peacekeepers as Indonesian nationals.
Before the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, Ambassador Hari Prabowo condemned that Israeli attack as “deliberate” and “a blatant attempt to spread terror on the ground to intimidate both peacekeeping mission and International community,” according to a statement published the mission’s X account.
According to UNIFIL, there are about 10,541 peacekeepers from 50 contributing nations in Lebanon to monitor the cessations of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and help ensure humanitarian access to the civilian population.
UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in March 1978.
“This is unacceptable,” Hari said. “Let me be clear: those who stand by the cause of peace will not be afraid of bullies and perpetrators of genocide.”
Two Italian bases of the UNIFIL mission had also been hit by Israel in the recent strikes.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke over the phone Thursday afternoon with Gen. Stefano Messina, commander of the U.N. peacekeeping mission’s Western Sector, and was updated on the attacks.
A readout of the call states that Italy has formally lodged a protest with Israel and reiterated “that what is happening near the bases of the UNIFIL continent is not admissible.”
Italy has summoned the Israeli ambassador, it said.
Italy’s minister of defense, Guido Crosetto, went a step further and said the attack “may constitute a war crime.”
In a press conference Thursday, he said that attack “represented a very serious violation of international military law.”
“This was not a mistake and not an accident,” he said.
France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday also issued a statement expressing “deep concern” following the attacks and said it was “waiting for explanations from the Israeli authorities.”
“The protection of peacekeepers is incumbent upon all parties to a conflict,” the ministry said. “France calls on all the parties to abide by this obligation and to allow UNIFIL to continue carrying out its mandate. That includes respecting its freedom of movement.”
