Again, Israel attacks UN peacekeepers’ facility

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has accused Israel of deliberately demolishing an observation tower and perimeter fence of a UN position in the southern Lebanese town of Marwahin on the border with Israel.

The latest attack on a UN facility follows similar incidents in recent weeks.

“Yet again, we note that breaching a UN position and damaging UN assets is a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701,” UNIFIL said in a statement.

“We remind the [Israeli forces] and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times,” the statement added.

UNIFIL called on Israel to stop breaching UN positions, which is considered “a flagrant violation of international law.”

Israel had recently claimed that the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah was attacking Israel from positions located in close proximity to posts of the UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon – an accusation that Hezbollah denies.

Last Wednesday, UNIFIL said that an Israeli tank had fired on one of its watchtowers in southern Lebanon.

This came after UN peacekeepers in Lebanon had come under fire several times days before, with at least four soldiers injured.

In another incident, UNIFIL said two Israeli tanks “destroyed” the main gate at one of its positions in southern Lebanon and “forcibly entered the position”.

Israel has fired on several front-line UNIFIL positions since it launched a ground incursion into southern Lebanon in early October, claiming it aims to dismantle the infrastructure of Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Lebanese group that has been trading fire with the Israeli army in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has condemned Israel’s strikes, saying that attacks against UN peacekeepers were a violation of international law and “may constitute a war crime.”

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he demands Mr Guterres get UNIFIL troops out of “combat zones”, alleging that their presence was providing a “human shield” for Hezbollah.

However, the UN maintains that the mission – with members from 50 countries – is not going anywhere.

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UNIFIL has monitored the border region between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. More than 10,000 troops from more than 50 countries have been deployed to the mission, according to Al Jazeera.

Mr Netanyahu has been pushing for the removal of UN peacekeepers as Israel escalates its attacks in southern Lebanon.