UN peacekeepers injured by Israel

[EasterIssland]

After all the news this week regarding IDF threatening peacekeepers in Lebanon this is news now.

from bbc

Two UN peacekeepers injured after Israeli tank fires at watchtowerpublished at 12:50 British Summer Time
12:50 BSTBREAKING
Two UN peacekeepers have been injured after an Israeli tank fired towards a watchtower at a UN base in southern Lebanon, the UN says.
According to a statement by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the observation tower at its headquarters in Naqoura was directly hit, causing the peacekeepers to fall.
"The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital," the UN says.
It adds that Israeli soldiers also fired at a UN base in Ras Naqoura, "hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system".
There's more in their statement which we'll bring you shortly.
UNIFIL is a UN peacekeeping mission created in 1978. It monitors hostilities and helps to ensure humanitarian access to civilians.

Netanyahu has absolutely no right to demand that the peacekeepers leave.

He is basically threatening them with violence, by saying that if they don’t get out his way he will have no problem harming them.

Would the US like to say anything about the government of Israel terrorising UN peace keepers? Or for the sake of peace, is it once again best if the world moves aside and lets them continue with their killing spree.

Much respect to those who have decided to stay and risk themselves in order to act as witnesses. That is morality, that is bravery, threatening, starving and killing innocent people is not.

No, I agree that it's not surprising at all. Until now, they have done what they wanted and answered to nobody. They were always going to continue with that arrogance. If the un let's them away with this though... it's clearly giving them the green light to destroy the region.

Agreed

I am so sorry - it's so frightening, having people you love in harm's way like that. I'll keep your cousin, your family and you in my thoughts.

I'm sorry. A direct family member of mine has been stationed there previously, so I know what you're going through. It's really horrible. When you think of what a noble job they are doing and to be threatened like that is disgusting. Then people suggesting that they turn a blind eye to Hezbollah 😡 having known a few of them, they don't think like that, and they're certainly not trained to think like that

First of all not everywhere in the country is covered, it depends where Iron Dome batteries are stationed at any given time. Second, actually non-interceptions are fairly common - for example 90 schools in the north have been damaged by Hezbollah rockets during this war. But this case sadly had tragic, catastropic results as that close to the border the time from the siren to the rocket landing is just a few seconds, and the rocket landed right by the entrance to the protected area to which the children were running at the time. Just awful.

I'm of course against any targeting of the UN and its personnel. But just for context, I wanted also to add here the Israeli account of the incident, which paints a more complex context:

Earlier today (Sunday), a large barrage of anti-tank missiles was fired toward IDF troops in southern Lebanon. During the attack, two IDF soldiers were severely injured and multiple other soldiers were lightly and moderately injured. Their families have been notified. An initial review showed that an IDF tank that was trying to evacuate injured soldiers while still under fire backed several meters into a UNIFIL post. Once the enemy fire stopped, and following the evacuation of the injured soldiers, the tank left the post. During the incident, a smoke screen was used to provide cover for the evacuation of the injured soldiers. IDF soldiers maintained coordination with UNIFIL.

Last year Hezbollah members were tried in Lebanon for killing and wounding Irish UN peacekeepers.
The UN are infiltrated by Hamas in Gaza.
I deplore what Israel are doing but they’re not the only group attacking the UN.

The UN are infiltrated by Hamas in Gaza.
Evidence?

@Boobygravy

Only one Hezbollah member was arrested over the murdered of Private Sean Rooney and even he has been released:

www.newarab.com/news/ireland-concerned-justice-peacekeepers-death-lebanon?amp

Even more frustrating is that under the UN resolution there shouldn't have been any Hezbollah members in Southern Lebanon anyway.

"The UN are infiltrated by Hamas in Gaza.
Evidence?"

Evidence provided:

news.sky.com/story/amp/hamas-leader-in-lebanon-killed-by-israel-was-un-employee-unwra-confirms-13225258

Yes that is one individual a bit different to the claim they have been infiltrated. There are over 13,000 working for UNWRA I think there is evidence against 6 or 7 employees being part of Hamas who have been dismissed.

This is precisely why they are there. To keep the peace and not give in every time some bloodthirsty soldiers on a killing rampage tell them to move.

The guardia.

The European Union condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers by Israel in Lebanonand rejected allegations that UN secretary general António Guterres is responsible for obstructing the Israeli army, AP reports.

Sixteen EU countries are contributing to the UNIFIL peacekeeping force. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that “their work is very important. It’s completely unacceptable attacking United Nations troops.”
Five peacekeepers have been wounded in recent attacks, with most blamed on Israeli forces.

Speaking in Luxembourg before chairing talks between EU foreign ministers, Borrell underlined that the UN security council decides whether UNIFIL peacekeepers should be moved, “so stop blaming Secretary Guterres.”

I agree, that is the point of them being there! If they withdraw now, that will teach Netanyahu and his murderous government that threats work.

If people want to leave then I think they should be allowed to, but if they refuse to give into the threats and want to take the risk of staying, then so be it.

Something we’ve not mentioned but it’s widely spoken about in twitter. Seems like Israel used chemicals against UNIFIL members

https://x.com/yanisvaroufakis/status/1845556651786379555

Please stop making stuff up about chemical weapons attacks, it's rather desperate and deliberate misinformation.

Especially when even the UN themselves have confirmed that the UN troops suffered from smoke inhalation or a chemical attack;

news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1155661

Sorry should read:

Especially when even the UN themselves have confirmed that the UN troops suffered from smoke inhalation NOT a chemical attack;

news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1155661

Israeli account of the incident, as quoted by Israelilefty

Earlier today (Sunday), a large barrage of anti-tank missiles was fired toward IDF troops in southern Lebanon. During the attack, two IDF soldiers were severely injured and multiple other soldiers were lightly and moderately injured. Their families have been notified. An initial review showed that an IDF tank that was trying to evacuate injured soldiers while still under fire backed several meters into a UNIFIL post.

From the above it would seem that the IDF had taken up a position very close to the UNIFIL post, as it was only metres that the tank had to move after picking them up. Tanks prefer not to reverse over long distances. Either the IDF were using the post as a defensive shield or because it was on their route through Lebanon, or both. I guess that Hezbollah too would use the UNIFIL sites as shields, hence the reason for the IDF asking certain posts to be vacated last week.

@mouthpipette

"I guess that Hezbollah too would use the UNIFIL sites as shields, hence the reason for the IDF asking certain posts to be vacated last week."

Indeed they are:

www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/10/13/the-un-keeps-peace-in-southern-lebanon-hezbollah-tunnel/

I think there was a post by someone on 11th October ( 2 days before the Telegraph article) saying that Hezbollah could well take up positions next to UNIFIL sites and use UNIFIL as a shield.

You can't use self defence as an excuse for 'accidentally' harming protected personnel if you are the one on the offense.

IDF being so close to UNIFIL put UNIFIL in danger. They certainly had no right to use a smoke screen in the vicinity of UNIFIL.

I do appreciate the alternative viewpoint, but in this case it does not excuse the actions. It only serves to prove that IDF think they are more important than UN peacekeepers.

Sorry should read as :

@HelenHen

"IDF being so close to UNIFIL put UNIFIL in danger. They certainly had no right to use a smoke screen in the vicinity of UNIFIL."

Given that the objective was to evacuate wounded soldiers then I would say that the IDF had every right to use a smoke screen to save lives given the downside to the UN was simply skin irritation and gastrointestinal problems.

Either way it is most definitely not the misinformation suggested of it being a "chemical weapons" attack

At this point, why do people believe the account of a force with an established track record of dishonesty? I can understand people saying they'd want an independent assessment of what happened, but how much credibility can really be given to an organisation that has lied so consistently?