EU peacekeepers aim to apply "the greatest feasible force" against Israel, asserts Rome.
According to Italian news sources, the 16 European nations contributing to the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon are aiming to put "maximum pressure" on Israel politically and diplomatically. This follows the shelling of peacekeepers. The objective is to "avoid future incidents," as announced by the Italian Foreign Ministry on a recent Wednesday.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, had a video conference with representatives from the 16 European nations after five peacekeepers were hurt in attacks by the Israeli military against the Hezbollah militia.
The French Foreign Ministry subsequently declared, "We remain loyal to UNIFIL, which plays a significant role as a neutral observer mission." The attendees expressed concern about the latest escalation and denounced "intimidation and attacks" on peacekeepers. They stated, "We do not condone UN soldiers being used as targets and being exploited in a conflict that must now come to an end."
The UN peacekeeping force is increasingly finding itself in the middle of the conflict between the Israeli military and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. UNIFIL has been present in Lebanon since 1978 and includes more than 10,000 soldiers and civilian personnel. The most heavily involved European nations include Italy, with approximately 1,000 soldiers; Spain, with about 680; and France, with 670. Germany also contributes to UNIFIL's maritime task force, which aims to prevent weapon smuggling by sea.
Since the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1701 following the 2006 Lebanon War, the responsibilities of the peacekeeping force have significantly expanded. The resolution, among other things, mandates that only UNIFIL and Lebanese army troops should be deployed in the border area with Israel. Despite this, Hezbollah remains active in the area.
Other countries aside from Italy, Spain, and France, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium, also contribute to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, aiming to support UNIFIL's mission and apply pressure on all parties involved to avoid further incidents, including attacks on peacekeepers, as they are considered neutral observers and should not be targeted or exploited in the conflict.
Understanding the complexities of the situation, the participating nations, including theOther European countries not mentioned earlier, have agreed to address the situation collectively, including discussions on ways to deter intimidation and future attacks on UN peacekeepers, including those from other contributing nations, as outlined in their collective response to recent events.
