France summons Israeli ambassador after targeting UNIFIL sites in Lebanon

The French Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it had summoned the Israeli ambassador to Paris after a new attack by the Israeli army on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in which France is a major participant. "These attacks constitute serious violations of international law and must stop immediately," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The Israeli authorities must provide an explanation. Accordingly, France today summoned the Israeli ambassador to France to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs," she added. Earlier on Friday, UNIFIL confirmed that two of its members were injured in two explosions near a border observation point for the second time in two days, warning that its forces were exposed to "grave danger." "Two peacekeepers were injured after two explosions occurred near a watchtower," the UN force said in a statement, warning that "these incidents put UN peacekeepers... at very high risk." She also spoke about the collapse of "several protection walls a t our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labouneh, when an Israeli bulldozer crashed into the perimeter of the position" on Friday. A UNIFIL spokeswoman said both soldiers were from the Sri Lankan battalion. This comes a day after two Indonesian blue helmet soldiers were wounded in Israeli gunfire at UNIFIL headquarters in southern Lebanon, sparking international condemnation and Rome considering it to amount to "war crimes." The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused the Israeli army on Thursday of firing at its positions and equipment in southern Lebanon. This is the most serious incident reported by UNIFIL in light of the current escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. The UNIFIL forces, which include about 10,000 peacekeeping troops in southern Lebanon, called for an end to the sharp escalation that began on September 23 between Israel and Hezbollah, after a year of exchange of fire between the two sides across the border. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed on Fri day that Israel must not repeat its firing on UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon, stressing that this is "unacceptable." Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday evening that "the repeated hostile acts committed by Israeli forces against UNIFIL headquarters could amount to war crimes and certainly represent very serious violations of the rules of international humanitarian law." "We asked for clarifications regarding the incidents that occurred," the minister added. The Spanish Foreign Ministry considered the shooting a "serious violation of international law," calling on Tel Aviv to "guarantee" the security of the blue helmets. Paris and Rome plan to hold a meeting of the four European countries contributing to UNIFIL, namely France, Italy, Spain and Ireland, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces said on Thursday. 'Attacks on UNIFIL forces not only hinder the work of peacekeepers, but also impede the ability of civilians in the south to obtain the humanitarian assistance they desperatel y need,' said Lama Fakih of Human Rights Watch. "The UN mission must be allowed to fulfil its duties to protect civilians as well as its humanitarian missions," she added in a statement issued Friday morning. Source: Maan News Agency