The guidelines of engagement for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) must be revised to make the peacekeeping power more practical, in line with the 16 EU nations contributing to it, Italy’s protection ministry stated Wednesday.
The European Union allies additionally suppose strain have to be utilized to stop any extra assaults by Israeli forces on UNIFIL positions, the assertion stated.
The Italian readout adopted a name between the protection ministers of the 16 nations, going down days after Israeli assaults on U.N. bases in Lebanon, and forward of a Friday go to to the nation by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The assertion stated a “key point that emerged from the meeting was a shared willingness to exert maximum political and diplomatic pressure on Israel so that no further incidents occur.”
It additionally stated, “that Hezbollah cannot use UNIFIL personnel as shields in the context of the conflict.”
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to observe hostilities alongside the demarcation line with Israel – an space that has seen critical clashes this month between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.
Israel, which is at present invading Lebanon, has demanded the withdrawal of the UNIFIL forces, which embrace simply over 1,000 Italian troops, however contributor nations have refused and angrily denounced repeated Israeli strikes in opposition to the bases which have injured some peacekeepers.
Since the beginning of Israel’s floor operation in Lebanon on Oct. 1, UNIFIL positions have been focused 20 instances, together with by direct hearth and an incident on Sunday when two Israeli tanks burst by means of the gates of a UNIFIL base, the U.N. has stated.
Source: www.dailysabah.com