The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) called the Israeli army’s activities “a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701” and accused them of “deliberately and directly destroying clearly identifiable UNIFIL property.”
UNIFIL also disclosed in a news statement on Friday that a concrete building and a portion of a fence at a UNIFIL facility in Ras Naqoura were damaged by two Israeli excavators and one bulldozer.
“Yesterday’s incident, like seven other similar incidents, is not a matter of peacekeepers getting caught in the crossfire, but of deliberate and direct actions by the Israeli army,” the statement added.
According to UNIFIL, its peacekeepers also “directly observed” Israeli troops dismantling two of the blue barrels marking the UN-delineated blue line, the limit of retreat between Israel and Lebanon..
Additionally, peacekeepers reiterated that “the Israeli army and all actors should remember their obligation to ensure safety and security of UN personnel and property,” affirming that “despite unacceptable pressures being exerted on the mission through various channels, peacekeepers will continue to undertake their mandated monitoring and reporting tasks under resolution 1701.”
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