Netanyahu asks Guterres to “immediately” withdraw UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon to a “safe location”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this Sunday asked UN Secretary-General António Guterres to immediately withdraw the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (FINUL) “to a safe location”.
“Mr Secretary General, withdraw FINUL forces to a safe location. It needs to be done now, immediately”declared Netanyahu in a speech, directly questioning Guterres, in English.
At least five peacekeepers have been injured in recent days during fighting between Israeli forces and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
In your message to Guterres [que não tem jurisdição sobre a FINUL, uma vez que a missão depende do Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas]Netanyahu assured that Israel requested the withdrawal of the blue helmets on several occasions.
“It is time to remove FINUL from Hezbollah’s strongholds and combat zones”this Netanyahu.
The Prime Minister regretted that the Israeli Army had already made this request, only to be “constantly rejected”a refusal “intended to provide human shields to Hezbollah terrorists”.
“Their refusal to withdraw UNIFIL forces makes its members hostage to Hezbollah and also endangers the lives of our soldiers”Netanyahu stressed.
The head of the Government said that Israel does “as possible” to prevent damage to peacekeeping forces, but considered that the best way to avoid such incidents is to withdraw them from the territory, which would require a Security Council decision.
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Saturday asked his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, to guarantee the safety of the peacekeepers and the Lebanese Armed Forces, following attacks on peacekeeping positions in the south of the country and the death of two Lebanese soldiers.
Gallant emphasized that the Israeli military will continue to take steps to “prevent harm” to FINUL troops, but warned that “Hezbollah operates and fires close to UNIFIL positions, using peacekeeping missions as cover for its activities”.
For three weeks, Israel has been carrying out an intense bombing campaign against southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as Beirut, in addition to carrying out a ground offensive in the neighboring country.
