Israeli army ‘deliberately demolished’ watchtower, fence at UN peacekeeping site in southern Lebanon
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said that an Israeli army bulldozer demolished an observation tower and the perimeter fence of a UN position earlier on Sunday in Marwahin, in the southern part of the country.
A press statement issued by the Mission, formally known as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, said Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) “deliberately demolished” the watchtower and the fence surrounding the Marwahin site.
“Yet again, we remind the IDF and all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times,” UNIFIL stated.
The mission also reiterated that the violation of a UN site and damage to its assets constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701, the unanimously adopted text to end to a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and chart a path towards security on the border between Israel and Lebanon.
The statement went on to note that the Israeli army has repeatedly asked UNIFIL to vacate its positions along the Blue Line and has deliberately damaged UN positions.
Despite the pressure on the mission and troop-contributing countries, UNIFIL stressed that peacekeepers remain in all their positions, the mission’s statement said on Sunday.
“We will continue to carry out our mandated tasks of monitoring and reporting,” the statement concluded.
Other security incidents
Sunday’s developments come after a series of worrying incidents in the past days in which a total of five peacekeepers have been injured.
Just four days ago, UNIFIL issued a statement saying peacekeepers at a position near Kafer Kela had observed an IDF Merkava tank firing at their watchtower.
Two cameras were destroyed, and the tower was damaged.
“Yet again we see direct and apparently deliberate fire on a UNIFIL position,” the mission stated at the time.
In addition, last Sunday, 13 October, 15 peacekeepers suffered from “smoke effects”, after the IDF fired several rounds some 100 metres from their position, which had been deliberately breached around two hours earlier the same day.
Several UN positions have been damaged, and cameras and lights destroyed.
Top UN officials, including the Secretary-General voiced concern over the situation, reiterating that safety and security of UN personnel and property “must be guaranteed” and that the inviolability of UN premises “must be respected at all times without qualification”.
He also warned that attacks against peacekeepers contravene international law and may constitute war crimes.
