UNIFIL Kutuk Attacks Deliberately Carried Out By Israel, Worried About The Fate Of Civilians

UNIFIL troops patrol along the Blue Line. (Wikimedia Commons/Italian Army)

JAKARTA - The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Friday it had been targeted by a number of "deliberate" attacks by Israeli forces in recent days, with efforts to help civilians in villages in war zones hampered by Israeli shootings.

UNIFIL was stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an area that has witnessed fierce clashes this month between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

The peacekeeping force was injured in an Israeli attack, sparking criticism from several countries that sent troops for the mission. A total of 50 countries sent troops, with UNIFIL having a total of about 10,000 personnel.

"We have been targeted several times, were attacked on purpose five times," UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti said via video link from Beirut.

"I think the current role of UNIFIL is more important than ever. We have to be here," he added.

Earlier, Israel said UN forces provided human shields for Hezbollah members, asking UNIFIL to evacuate peacekeepers from southern Lebanon for their own safety. This request was rejected by UNIFIL.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected allegations UNIFIL forces have been deliberately targeted.

However, Tenenti opposed this, saying that in one of the incidents he described, Israeli forces broke into UNIFIL's location and remained there for 45 minutes.

When asked if UNIFIL would consider defending itself against Israel, he said it was an option, but was currently trying to reduce tensions.

Tenenti also voiced concerns about civilians still in southern Lebanon who he said were difficult to reach by aid workers as Israeli shootings continued.

"The destruction and destruction of many villages along the Blue Line, and even beyond, is very surprising," he said, referring to the UN mapped line separating Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.