UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 The U.N. Security Council expressed 鈥渟trong concern鈥 Monday as Israel has fired on and wounded U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon during intensified fighting, reiterating its support for their role in supporting security in the region.
It's the first statement by the U.N.鈥檚 most powerful body since known as UNIFIL began last week, drawing international condemnation.
U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters that Secretary-General Ant贸nio Guterres confirmed Monday that even as Israel has urged the peacekeepers to move 5 kilometers (3 miles) north during its ground invasion in Lebanon.
Israel has been in Lebanon across a U.N.-drawn boundary between the two countries. The sides have been clashing since the Iranian-backed militant group started firing rockets a year ago in solidarity with its ally Hamas in Gaza. Hamas' deadly attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, .
The Security Council statement, issued after emergency closed consultations on Lebanon, did not name either Israel, Lebanon or Hezbollah. Read by Swiss U.N. Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, the council's current president, it urges all parties 鈥渢o respect the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and U.N. premises.鈥
The 15-member Security Council has been deeply divided over the war in Gaza, with the United States defending its ally Israel as support for the Palestinians has grown among members and casualties have escalated. The Biden administration has become more critical of civilian deaths as well as .
US. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told reporters that 鈥渋t鈥檚 good that the council can speak with one voice on what鈥檚 on the minds of all people around the world right now 鈥 and it鈥檚 the situation in Lebanon.鈥
The council's statement sends a message to the Lebanese people 鈥渢hat the council cares, that the council is watching this issue and that the council today spoke with one voice,鈥 Wood said.
Council members also expressed 鈥渄eep concern鈥 at civilian casualties and suffering, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the rising number of internally displaced people.
More than 1,400 people in Lebanon, including civilians, medics and Hezbollah fighters, have been killed and 1.2 million displaced in the past month. Around 60 Israelis have been killed in Hezbollah strikes in the past year. Israel says it wants to drive the militant group away from the border so some 60,000 displaced Israelis can return to their homes.
The Security Council statement called on all parties to abide by international humanitarian law, which requires the protection of civilians.
Council members also called for the full implementation of , which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war 鈥渁nd recognized the need for further practical measures to achieve that outcome.鈥
That resolution calls for the Lebanese army to deploy throughout the south and for all armed groups, including Hezbollah, to be disarmed 鈥 neither of which has happened in the past 18 years.
Lacroix, the undersecretary-general for peace operations, told reporters after his closed briefing to the Security Council that five UNIFIL peacekeepers have been injured in recent days and that the U.N. has protested to Israel.
Israel has indicated 鈥渋nvestigations will be carried out regarding some of these incidents ... and we will see what comes out of this,鈥 he said.
Israeli Army spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani asserted Sunday that Israel has tried to maintain constant contact with UNIFIL and that any instance of U.N. forces being harmed will be investigated at 鈥渢he highest level.鈥
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for UNIFIL to heed Israel鈥檚 warnings to evacuate, accusing them of 鈥減roviding a human shield鈥 to Hezbollah.
鈥淲e regret the injury to the UNIFIL soldiers, and we are doing everything in our power to prevent this injury. But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone,鈥 he said Sunday in a video addressed to the U.N. secretary-general, .
Lacroix on Monday stressed that all parties have a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the peacekeepers.
He also said it鈥檚 important that the peacekeepers stay in their positions 鈥渂ecause we all hope there will be a return to the negotiation table, and that there will be finally a real effort to full implementation of resolution 1701.鈥
鈥斺赌
This story Corrects the first name of the U.N. peacekeeping chief in the third paragraph to Jean-Pierre Lacroix
