Israeli Military Acts Up Again, Brings Bulldozers to Destroy UNIFIL Lebanon Guard Fence

© UNIFIL/Pasqual Gorriz

JAKARTA - The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) has stressed that Israeli military attacks on its properties are a violation of international law.

The 10,000-strong UN mission, known as UNIFIL, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the “blue line” that separates Lebanon from Israel.

Since Israel launched a ground military operation across the border against Hezbollah fighters in late September, UNIFIL has repeatedly accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of deliberately attacking its bases, including by shooting at peacekeepers and destroying watchtowers.

Israel denies the incidents were deliberate attacks.

Israel says UN troops are providing human shields for Hezbollah fighters and has asked UNIFIL to evacuate southern Lebanon for their own safety - a request the force has refused.

As reported by Reuters, Saturday, November 9, in its latest statement, UNIFIL said the IDF used excavators and bulldozers to destroy part of the fence and concrete structures at UN peacekeeping positions in southern Lebanon on Thursday.

The peacekeepers also observed Israeli forces this week removing barrels marking the blue line, it said.

“The deliberate and direct destruction by the IDF of clearly identifiable UNIFIL property is a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701,” UNIFIL said, referring to a U.N. resolution that mandated a cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon after the previous war.

“Yesterday’s incident, like seven other similar incidents, was not a matter of peacekeepers being caught in the crossfire, but rather a deliberate and direct action by the IDF,” UNIFIL said.

It said the U.N. force would remain in Lebanon despite the unacceptable pressure on the mission.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The statement came a day after six Malaysian peacekeepers on a U.N. bus passing through a checkpoint were wounded by an Israeli drone strike that killed three Lebanese in a nearby car.

On Friday night, a series of Israeli strikes rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to Reuters witnesses, after Israel issued an evacuation order.