Israel, with the IDF on one side. Hezbollah on the other. In between, the soldiers of the UN's UNIFIL mission, supposed to guarantee peace but find themselves in the midst of a war, targeted by attacks and rockets that fall more or less accidentally on their bases. Among them, and in large numbers, are those of the Sassari Brigade, which from Shama commands the western sector of the Blue Zone in Lebanon.
Until when? December, in theory. But the mission could end sooner: Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has written to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutierres to request a change in the rules of engagement for the Blue Helmets. The alternative: everyone home.
The news, which leaked in the last few hours, was confirmed to L'Unione Sarda by ministry sources. The full text of the letter has not been made public, but the gist is clear: Italian soldiers—like those of other nations involved in the now-failed peacekeeping effort—cannot be exposed to ever-increasing risks in a (now) war zone with nothing to do but retreat into bunkers and try to avoid the worst.
Crosetto's letter was sent after yet another "incident" at the Shama base, under the control of the Dimonios : a building was hit by a rocket, likely fired from the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah. The Italian forces' headquarters was not a target, but the strike landed. No injuries were reported, only damage to the structure. And this is not an isolated incident.
Just yesterday, a military funeral ceremony was held for three Indonesian soldiers participating in the same "peacekeeping" mission. Crosetto wrote to prevent any coffins from being draped in the Italian flag. And with his colleagues from Spain and France, he agreed on the line to propose to the UN.
