Attacks against Unifil bases in Lebanon continue. " An unexploded artillery shell hit the gym of our Unifil base in Shama ," said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. "I asked the new Israeli Foreign Minister for clarifications on what happened. I reiterated the request for protection for the Italian soldiers, who are there for peace and are not terrorists. He was very helpful and guaranteed an immediate investigation into the incident."
Just a month ago, tensions had skyrocketed with Israeli fire on three bases of the mission deployed in southern Lebanon , where the leadership of the Italian contingent, which includes 1200 Italian soldiers, mostly Sardinians, is entrusted to the Sassari Brigade.
Yesterday, 30 shots were fired in the direction of the peacekeeping forces, who returned fire and ran to safety. No one was injured and an investigation has been launched, the UN peacekeepers added in a statement. "We remind the Lebanese authorities of their responsibility to ensure the safety and protection of peacekeepers who are carrying out sensitive and important work on Lebanese soil," UNIFIL said, "we have called on the Lebanese authorities to undertake a full investigation into this incident and to bring those responsible to justice."
Exactly one week ago, Unifil reported, "two IDF excavators and a bulldozer destroyed part of a fence and a concrete structure at a Unifil position in Ras Naqura. In response to our protest, the Israeli military denied that any activity was taking place inside the Unifil position. The IDF's deliberate and direct destruction of clearly identifiable Unifil property is a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701. "
Meanwhile, Israel has asked UN forces to limit their movements in areas south of the Litani River , as well as in other locations in southern Lebanon vulnerable to military attacks. Warnings that could indicate an expansion of the ground operation in Lebanon.
(Unioneonline/D)