India Condemns Attacks on UN Peacekeepers Amid Escalating Israel-Lebanon Tensions
Image Source: India Today
On Friday, October 13, 2023, an Israeli military strike in southern Lebanon wounded two UN peacekeepers from Sri Lanka stationed near their watchtower in Naqoura. This incident marked the second time within 48 hours that UNIFIL’s base in the region was subjected to blasts. The Israeli military’s strikes are part of its ongoing clashes with Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group operating near the border.
In response, 34 troop-contributing countries, including India, issued a joint statement condemning the attacks and demanding an immediate halt to such actions. The Indian government, a significant contributor to UNIFIL with around 900 troops, aligned itself with this statement, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety of UN peacekeepers.
The Permanent Mission of India at the UN in New York, in a post on X, said: “As a major troop-contributing country, India aligns itself fully with the joint statement issued by the 34 UNIFIL troop-contributing countries. Safety and security of peacekeepers are of paramount importance and must be ensured in accordance with extant UNSC Resolutions.”
In addition, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) voiced its disquiet over the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. The MEA’s statement highlighted the need for the inviolability of UN premises and reinforced the importance of measures to ensure the protection of 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,” the MEA said.
This response marks a notable shift in India’s diplomatic stance. While India has maintained a balanced approach regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, showing sympathy for Israel’s security concerns, its alignment with the UNIFIL TCCs’ criticism of Israeli military actions signals a more nuanced position. India has been supportive of Israel’s actions against groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, but this latest development underscores India’s broader concern for international peacekeeping obligations and multilateral frameworks.
On October 10, UNIFIL said that “recent escalation along the Blue Line is causing widespread destruction of towns and villages in southern Lebanon.”
“In the past days, we have seen incursions from Israel into Lebanon in Naqoura and other areas. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers have clashed with Hizbullah elements on the ground in Lebanon,” it said in a statement.
The targeting of peacekeepers in an active conflict zone raises concerns about the future of peacekeeping missions in high-intensity regions. The UNIFIL force called it a “serious development” and said the security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed.
Israel has defended its military actions, with its Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, stating that Hezbollah has been using UNIFIL posts as shields. “Lebanese Hizbollah is firing at Israel in proximity to UNIFIL outposts, criminally using them as a shield. Israel will continue to take measures to safeguard UN forces and coordinate with all responsible stakeholders necessary steps to keep their safety,” he said in a post on X. However, this justification has not fully allayed concerns about the safety of peacekeepers.
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