UNITED NATIONS, Oct 15 — The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday expressed strong concern after several of its peacekeeping positions in southern Lebanon came under fire amid clashes between the Israeli military and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.
In a statement adopted by consensus, the 15-member council also urged all parties — without naming them — to respect the safety and security of the personnel and premises of the UN peacekeeping mission, known as Unifil.
"UN peacekeepers and UN premises must never be the target of an attack," said the council, reiterating its support for Unifil and the operation's importance for regional stability.
The Security Council also called for the full implementation of its resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 with the aim of keeping peace on the border between Lebanon and Israel.
The council "recognised the need for further practical measures to achieve that outcome”, but did not offer specifics.
Since the start of Israeli ground operation in Lebanon on October 1, Unifil positions have been affected 20 times, including by direct fire and an incident on Sunday when two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a Unifil base, the UN said.
"Five peacekeepers have been injured during these incidents, including one peacekeeper who sustained a bullet wound," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday.
"The source of that gunfire has yet to be confirmed by Unifil.”
For the past two weeks, Israel has been telling UN peacekeepers to move 5km back from the so-called Blue Line — a UN-mapped line separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights — for their own safety.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday in a statement addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: "The time has come for you to withdraw Unifil.”
UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said on Monday that UN troops would not move. After briefing the Security Council behind closed doors, he told reporters that he would meet with Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon on Tuesday.
Lacroix added that the UN is "reviewing constantly the situation, and we have contingency planning for all scenarios."
— Reuters
