Netanyahu tells UN chief to move peacekeepers in Lebanon out of ‘harm’s way immediately’

A United Nations truck passes buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Kafra, Lebanon, on October 10, 2024. Lebanon’s health ministry said five paramedics and rescue workers were killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese village of Derdghaiya, near the Israeli border. , Photo Credit: Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (October 13, 2024) called on the UN chief to remove UN peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon from “harm’s way”.

Mr. Netanyahu’s appeal UN chief Antonio Guterres The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, has refused to withdraw from the border area despite five of its members being wounded by Israeli fire in recent days.

“Secretary-General, remove UNIFIL forces from harm’s way. This must be done now, immediately,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office.

Mr Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting, said that Israeli forces had repeatedly asked UNIFIL to leave, but that it had “repeatedly refused” providing a “human shield to Hezbollah terrorists”.

Mr Netanyahu said, “Your refusal to evacuate UNIFIL troops makes them hostages of Hezbollah. This threatens both their lives and those of our troops.”

“We regret the injuries to UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing everything in our power to prevent further damage. But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone.”

UNIFIL has refused to abandon its positions in southern Lebanon.

“The unanimous decision to stay here was taken because it is important to still fly the UN flag high in the region and to be able to report to the Security Council,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said. AFP In an interview on Saturday.

Mr Tennanti said Israel had asked UNIFIL to withdraw from positions “to five kilometers (three miles) of the blue line” separating the two countries, but the peacekeepers refused.

This will include its 29 locations in the south of Lebanon.

UNIFIL, a mission of about 9,500 troops of various nationalities, created in 1978, is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire that ended a 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

Forty countries that contribute to peacekeeping forces in Lebanon said on Saturday they “strongly condemn the recent attacks” on peacekeepers.

“Such actions must stop immediately and be adequately investigated,” said the joint statement posted on X by the Polish UN mission and signed by countries including key contributors Indonesia, Italy and India.