Irish-led Unifil troops have defied Israeli demands to evacuate but fear possible expansionist aims

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon have been growing increasingly concerned by the activities of the Israeli army in areas adjacent to their operations.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) was established in 1978 and since the last Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006, it is the only military force apart from the Lebanese army that should be deployed between the Israeli border and the Litani River, 30 kilometres north of the border.

Israel ordered Unifil to evacuate its bases in the areas it was operating - however, it refused.

Now, Israel has reportedly established a forward operating base within very close proximity to UN Post 6-52, which is staffed by Irish peacekeepers, raising alarm from the organisation about the possible threat to their activities.

  • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.eeEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    They already did surrender to both sides. UNFIL had/has a mandate to preserve the blue line, and afaik does not actively permit Hezbollah to cross - they’re just not too bothered about seeking them out. And they backed down from enforcing it against the Israelis…

    On 31 October 2006, eight Israeli F-15s… came in at what was interpreted as an attack formation, and the peacekeepers were “two seconds away” from firing at the jets with an anti-aircraft missile.

    Which clearly sparked some back-room diplomacy, because soon after:

    On 6 September [2006], during a European Union meeting in Brussels, the French Defense Minister announced that the Israeli Air Force had stopped mock air attacks over UNIFIL positions. On 17 November, two Israeli F-15s overflew UN positions at low altitude and high speed while two reconnaissance planes circled the headquarters of the French battalion. French peacekeepers responded by readying their anti-aircraft batteries, and warned that Israeli warplanes conducting mock attacks could be fired on.

    The IAF continued its reconnaissance flights over Lebanon, and despite strong protests, UNIFIL peacekeeping forces did not follow through on their threats to fire at Israeli aircraft.