UAE strongly condemns attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
UAE supports global efforts to de-escalate conflict and achieve an immediate ceasefire
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the attack on the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission, which resulted in injury to several members from the international force.
Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, affirmed that the UAE strongly condemned the attack on international troops, emphasising that targeting peacekeeping missions is in contravention of the principles of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Nusseibeh reaffirmed the UAE’s steadfast position and unwavering support to Lebanon, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and the important role of UNIFIL’s peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon.
She also reiterated the UAE’s support of international endeavors aiming to de-escalate conflict and achieve an immediate ceasefire.
Furthermore, she expressed the UAE’s solidarity with countries taking part in the UNIFIL mission whose soldiers were injured, as well as her wishes for a speedy recovery to all injured peacekeepers.
Fifth peacekeeper wounded in Lebanon
UNIFIL, a mission of about 9,500 troops of various nationalities, is tasked with monitoring a ceasefire that ended a 33-day war in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah.
Its role was bolstered by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 of that year, which stipulated that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.
In recent days, the mission said, its forces have "repeatedly" come under fire in Naqura as well as in other positions, injuring five Blue Helmets and sparking international condemnation.
UNIFIL said Israeli tank fire on Thursday caused two Indonesian peacekeepers to fall off a watch tower in Naqura.
The following day it said explosions close to an observation tower in Naqura wounded two Sri Lankan Blue Helmets, while Israel said it had responded to an "immediate threat" near a UN peacekeeping position.
On Saturday UNIFIL said a peacekeeper in Naqura "was hit by gunfire" on Friday night.