UN Says Its Peacekeepers Will Remain in Lebanon Despite Israeli Military Operations

Last updated on October 18th, 2024 at 09:52 am

United Nations peacekeeping forces will remain in Lebanon, despite sustaining injuries from recent Israeli military operations in the area.

Addressing reporters at an Oct. 14 press conference, UN Undersecretary for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix reiterated that members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) remain committed to their mission.

Lacroix said the United Nations remains concerned about the safety of its peacekeeping forces after several were injured by Israeli tank fire and other recent Israeli operations around their various outposts across southern Lebanon.

“Safety and security of the peacekeepers is a paramount priority but there a number of other elements and one of them is the responsibility that we have and UNIFIL has in regard to the mandate that was given to it by the [UN Security Council],” Lacroix said. “It’s a Security Council-mandated operation and we all feel duty-bound to fulfill to the best of our ability the mandate given by the Security Council.”

Lacroix delivered these remarks on the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a video statement urging UNIFIL to get out of the way of Israeli operations.

UNIFIL – get out of harm’s way! pic.twitter.com/vCnw7XLWCo

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 14, 2024

In his video, the Israeli leader insisted Israeli forces are focused on targeting Hezbollah fighters across southern Lebanon. He said any accusation that Israeli troops are deliberately targeting UN forces is “completely false.”

“Israel is not fighting UNIFIL. It’s not fighting the people of Lebanon. It is fighting Iran’s proxy Hezbollah, which uses Lebanese territory to attack Israe,” Netanyahu said.

While insisting Israeli forces aren’t deliberately targeting UNIFIL, he did express some remorse for UN peacekeepers who’ve been harmed.

“We regret any harm done to UNIFIL personnel, and the [Israeli military] is doing its utmost to prevent such incidents, but the best way to ensure the safety of uniform personnel is for UNIFIL to heed Israel’s request and to temporarily get out of arms way,” Netanyahu said.

In fact, ensuring Israeli forces stay out of Lebanon is part of UNIFIL’s stated mission.

UNIFIL was established in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel’s invasion that year. UNIFIL’s mission has expanded since then, and they now monitor for compliance with UN-brokered ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hezbollah.

The 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701 states Israeli forces must stay out of Lebanon, while Hezbollah must stay north of the Litani River.

Despite UNIFIL’s presence, Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade fire over the years.

Hezbollah has been in a renewed state of battle with Israel since Oct. 8, 2023; the day after Hamas fighters carried out widespread attacks across southern Israel.

On Oct. 8, 2023, Hezbollah launched a salvo of drones and missiles at Shebaa Farms; a disputed section of territory along the Israeli-Lebanese border currently controlled by Israel. Israeli forces returned fire on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, and the two sides have continued to trade fire over the past year.

Israeli forces have expanded their counter-Hezbollah operations in recent weeks, ramping up aerial bombing across Lebanon, and sending ground forces across the Israel-Lebanon border on Sept. 30.

President Joe Biden joined calls for Israel to refrain from striking UNIFIL positions in Lebanon during remarks at the White House on Oct. 11.