Turkey Says Deployment Of Israel's Attack On UNIFIL Will Further Damage Trust In The United Nations

Patrol of UNIFIL troops from Italy. (Source: UNIFIL)

Turkey on Thursday said it expected an investigation into Israel's attacks on UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, UNIFIL, as well as penalties for those responsible.

Israel is known to have carried out attacks on UNIFIL's missions in Lebanon, drawing international criticism for attacks on UN forces against international law.

"Shooting UNIFIL and injuring its personnel is a clear violation of international law," said Turkish Defense Ministry press representative Zeki Akt Brurk, quoted by the Daily Sabah, October 18.

" Allowing attacks on international peacekeepers not to be punished will further undermine trust in the UN system and make it difficult for the UN Security Council to carry out its mission to protect international peace," said Akt Brurk.

"As a country that contributes to the UN Temporary Forces in Lebanon, we hope that the necessary investigations can be carried out as soon as possible and those responsible will be punished," he said.

Since the start of Israel's ground operations in Lebanon on October 1, UNIFIL's position has been affected 20 times, including by live fire and an incident on Sunday, when two Israeli tanks broke into the UNIFIL base, the United Nations said.

"Five peacekeepers have been injured in the incidents, including one peacekeeper who suffered gunshot wounds," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

"The source of the shot has not been confirmed by UNIFIL," he continued.

Over the past two weeks, Israel has told UN peacekeeping forces to withdraw 5 km (3 miles) from the so-called Blue Line - a UN mapped line separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - for their own safety.

It is known that UNIFIL was founded in March 1978 to confirm Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon and assist the Lebanese government in restoring authority in the region.

Its mandate has been expanded for years, particularly after the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war, to monitor the ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid.

Its mandate was last updated unanimously by the UN Security Council in August.

Israel dramatically stepped up its massive bombing campaign in Lebanon against what it claims to be Hezbollah's target since September 23, killing at least 1,437 people, injuring more than 4,123 others and displaced more than 1.34 million people.

The air campaign is an escalation of a year-long cross-border war between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year.