India expresses concern over Israeli attack on UN peacekeeping personnel in Lebanon

No casualties were reported from the Indian troops based in Lebanon in the Israeli firing that, according to a statement issued by the UNIFIL, has hit its Naqoura headquarters and nearby positions in south Lebanon, drawing condemnation from several western capitals

Anita Joshua, TT, New Delhi, 12.10.24 : India on Friday expressed concern at the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line, which separates Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights, after UN peacekeeping personnel in Lebanon — including Indians — came under repeated Israeli fire for three consecutive days.

India has a 903-strong battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and is the third-largest contributor to this peacekeeping force made up of personnel from 50 countries. No casualties were reported from the Indian troops based in Lebanon in the Israeli firing that, according to a statement issued by the UNIFIL, has hit its Naqoura headquarters and nearby positions in south Lebanon, drawing condemnation from several western capitals.

India’s response came late on Friday afternoon — well after several capitals, including the US, had expressed concern over the targeting of the blue helmets (UN peacekeepers). "Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all, and appropriate measures taken to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and the sanctity of their mandate,’’ external affairs ministry said in a statement.

The ministry statement almost coincided with the third such attack in three days. "Israeli forces fired at a watchtower used by UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on Friday, injuring two, a UN source said, the third day in a row peacekeepers have reported Israeli fire at their positions as Israel wages war on Hezbollah,’’ a Reuters report said in the afternoon.

On Thursday, the UNIFIL said: "This morning, two peacekeepers were injured after an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Merkava tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting it and causing them to fall. The injuries are fortunately, this time, not serious, but they remain in hospital.’’

Also, according to the UNIFIL, soldiers of the IDF fired on a UN position in Labbouneh, hitting the entrance to the bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, and damaging vehicles and a communications system. An IDF drone was observed flying inside the UN position up to the bunker entrance.

And, on Wednesday, "IDF soldiers deliberately fired at and disabled the position’s perimeter-monitoring cameras. They also deliberately fired on UNP 1-32A in Ras Naqoura, where regular Tripartite meetings were held before the conflict began, damaging lighting and a relay station’’, the UNIFIL detailed.

All warring parties are obligated to ensure the safety and security of the UN personnel and property and respect the inviolability of the UN premises at all times. The UNIFIL peacekeepers are present in south Lebanon to support a return to stability under the Security Council mandate after the Israeli withdrawal from the country in 1978. The mandate has been reworked twice in view of subsequent conflicts along the Blue Line.