Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the UN chief to remove UN peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon out of "harm's way".
"Mr Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way. It should be done right now, immediately," Netanyahu said in a video statement issued by his office.
At least five UN peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days as Israeli forces fight against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Addressing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Netanyahu says in a Hebrew-language message: “It is time for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the areas of combat.”
“The IDF has repeatedly asked for this, and has been met with repeated refusals, all aimed at providing a human shield to Hezbollah terrorists,” says Netanyahu.
Refusal to evacuate
“Mr. Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm’s way. It should be done right now, immediately,” Netanyahu says in English.
UNIFIL says the IDF has hit a number of UNIFIL posts, including the headquarters at Naqoura. UNIFIL soldiers have been lightly injured in the incidents.
“Your refusal to evacuate the UNIFIL soldiers makes them hostages of Hezbollah,” says Netanyahu. “This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers.”
Netanyahu says Israel “regrets the injury” to the peacekeepers, and that Israel is doing whatever it can to prevent that happening.
“But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is just get them out of the danger zone,” says Netanyahu.
The prime minister said European leaders should be criticizing Hezbollah, not Israel, for using UNIFIL as a “human shield.”
Earlier Pope Francis asked for "respect" for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon who have accused the Israeli military of deliberately firing on their positions.
"I am close to all the people involved, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, where I ask that the UN peacekeepers be respected," Francis said at the Vatican.
