La Tensions in southern Lebanon continue to grow, and the confrontation between Israel, the UN and Italy is taking on increasingly worrying contours. At the centre of the conflict is once again Benjamin Netanyahuu, what he doesn't seem willing to back down. Indeed, the Israeli Prime Minister openly challenges the West with increasingly strong statements.Via Unifil from Lebanon“, thundered Bibi.
Netanyahu did not mince words, accusing the mission of “failure” and being “completely ineffective” in containing growing threats from Hezbollah. His decision to call for an end to UNIFIL sparked a immediate clash not only with the United Nations, but also with important allies. Among these, Italy, which with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suddenly found herself on the front lines. Meloni, despite having cultivated a cooperative relationship with Netanyahu in recent months, did not hesitate to defend the role of the Italian soldiers involved in the mission.
Netanyahu Against Unifil: “Human Shields for Hezbollah”
In a recorded speech sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Netanyahu reiterated that the UNIFIL mission represents a obstacle to operations against the militant group Hezbollah, present in southern Lebanon. According to the Israeli prime minister, the peacekeeping troops would be used as “human shields” by Hezbollah militants, thus slowing the IDF's advance toward the north of the country. "We have repeatedly asked UNIFIL to leave," Netanyahu said, stressing that the presence of peacekeepers puts I'm risking the safety of Israeli forces engaged on the ground.
Netanyahu's actions have become even more decisive in recent days, with episodes that have put the stability of diplomatic relations to the test. The UN mission has denounced two new incidents called “shocking violations”. In the first accident, two Israeli tanks broke in at a Unifil position in Ramyah, destroying the main gate and remaining in place for over 45 minutes. The operation resulted in 15 peacekeepers suffering from smoke inhalation from gunfire fired nearby by Israeli forces. Shortly before, the IDF had passage of a UN contingent blocked in Meiss ej Jebel, an episode that prompted Unifil to ask for explanations.
The IDF, meanwhile, is trying to distance itself from the accusations that have emerged in recent days, and the Israeli army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, released a statement to Tg1 to clarify the situation regarding shooting at Unifil bases in southern Lebanon. “Every incident in which the army has possibly hit Unifil bases is a mistake. We are not targeting Unifil. Italy is a very important friend of Israel, and our friendship is sincere and represents an important alliance,” the spokesman said, “we are only attacking Hezbollah which in some cases hides near or behind UN bases,” he added.
Meloni: “Unacceptable attacks”
This time the Italian reaction is harsher than usual. Italy, which contributes the highest number of troops to the UNIFIL mission, has expressed a firm condemnation. In a phone call between Giorgia Meloni and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Italian PM calls IDF attacks 'unacceptable' against peacekeepers, reaffirming UNIFIL's crucial role in maintaining stability along the Blue Line, the border drawn between Lebanon and Israel at the end of the 2006 conflict.
Sources close to the Italian government have described the conversation between the two leaders as extremely tense. Netanyahu, trusting in political support from Meloni, asked the prime minister to put pressure on Guterres to favor the withdrawal of the UNIFIL troops. The rMeloni's response, however, was firm: no pressure will be exerted on the UN, since such a move, at Israel's unilateral request, "would undermine the credibility of the United Nations and the mission itself."
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also called the Israeli attack “theyet another unacceptable incident”. The Chief of Staff, Luciano Portolano, asked his Israeli counterpart Herzi Halevi to “avoid further hostile actions” against the peacekeepers. Italy, together with its European partners, has pushed for a coordinated response of the European Union against the attacks on UNIFIL, sharing the condemnation of Israeli actions.
UN: “Attacks on UNIFIL possible war crimes”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly reiterated that the UNIFIL mission will not move from southern Lebanon. Guterres has also raised his voice, warning that "attacks against peacekeepers constitute a violation of international law and humanitarian law”, underlining how these episodes could be configured as real war crimes. “UNIFIL personnel and facilities should never be attacked,” the Secretary General firmly stated.
Also 'XNUMX-XNUMX business days expressed grave concern over the escalation along the Blue Line, strongly condemning the Israeli attacks against UNIFIL. Also for the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, these episodes constitute "a serious violation of international law and are totally unacceptable". The EU has renewed its unconditional support for the Unifil mission, urging all parties to respect international obligations to ensure the safety of peacekeepers.