UN Troops Injured By Attacks In Lebanon, Israel Asks UNIFIL To Shift North

UNIFIL UN Troops In Lebanon/Unphoto/Pasqual GoRRiz

JAKARTA - Israel insists it is focused on fighting Hezbollah while at the same time recommending that United Nations peacekeeping forces (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon move north.

This was conveyed by Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon on Thursday, October 10 after Israeli forces opened fire on several UN positions.

"Our recommendation is that UNIFIL relocates 5 km (3 miles) north to avoid danger as fighting increases and while the situation along the Blue Line is still volatile due to Hezbollah's aggression," Danon said.

He said Israel had no desire to be in Lebanon, but they would do what was necessary to force Hezbollah away from its northern border so that 70,000 residents could return to their homes in northern Israel.

As previously reported, two UN peacekeepers were injured in Lebanon after Israeli tanks shot at the observation tower at the headquarters of the United Nations Temporary Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the southern Lebanese city of Naqura.

This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after the Mercava IDF tank (Israeli Defense Force) fired its gun at an observation tower at UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqura, immediately hit it and caused them to fall. Fortunately, this time the injuries were not serious, but they are still being treated in hospital," UNIFIL said.

Israeli troops also opened fire on another UN position at Ras Naqura and hit the bunker entrance where peacekeepers protected damaged vehicles and communication systems, added