Israeli Military Targets UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon

Israeli forces are being criticized for violating international law, as tensions mount over UNIFIL’s role in southern Lebanon.

In a concerning escalation of hostilities, the Israeli military has fired upon the United Nations peacekeeping force in Naqoura, Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, on two separate occasions within 48 hours, according to reports from the UN. This unprecedented action has raised alarm about the implications for both the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the safety of international peacekeeping efforts. Recent reports indicate that Israel’s military forcibly entered a clearly marked UN base and is suspected of using incendiary chemical white phosphorus, injuring 15 peacekeepers.

The IDF fired multiple rounds approximately 100 meters north of a base, releasing smoke that was suspected to contain white phosphorus into the facility (Financial Times). 

On Thursday morning, October 10th, Israeli forces employed a Merkava tank to target a UNIFIL observation tower in Naqoura, a southern Lebanese border town that has been the base of UNIFIL since its inception in 1978. The assault injured two Indonesian peacekeepers, who were struck directly by the tank fire and subsequently hospitalized. A UNIFIL spokesperson confirmed that since Israel began incursions into Lebanon on October 1st, the force has recorded approximately 25 incidents resulting in damage to UN property or premises. Most of these incidents have been attributed to Israeli fire.

An IDF Merkava tank fired at an observation tower, creating a large circular hole that led to its collapse (Financial Times).

A statement from UNIFIL confirmed their injuries, noting that while the wounds were not life-threatening, the peacekeepers required medical attention. The statement also highlighted that prior to this attack, Israeli soldiers had “deliberately fired at and disabled” the monitoring cameras at UNIFIL headquarters.

The following day, on Friday, UNIFIL reported a second assault, where artillery fire struck near another observation tower, injuring two additional peacekeepers. One of the injured was taken to a hospital in the city of Tyre for treatment, while the other was cared for in Naqoura. The targeting of UN peacekeepers by a member state is exceedingly rare and has sparked serious concerns about the ramifications for the ongoing violence in Lebanon.

UNIFIL building on fire, a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon (UNFIL, right, AFP, left)

“Additionally, five peacekeepers were injured in three separate incidents at UNIFIL headquarters, and 15 others reported symptoms after inhaling an unknown smoke released by the IDF on October 13, which caused skin irritation and gastrointestinal issues. Due to a lack of testing capabilities, UNIFIL has been unable to identify the nature of the smoke.

The international community has reacted swiftly to these developments, with various nations condemning Israel’s actions. Global leaders from Indonesia, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland, Turkey, Canada and the European Union, have voiced their outrage. UNIFIL, originally established by the UN Security Council following Israel’s first invasion of Lebanon, was tasked with overseeing Israel’s withdrawal and restoring security in the region. After the devastating 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, which led to the deaths of approximately 1,100 Lebanese civilians, UNIFIL’s mandate was expanded to monitor hostilities and support Lebanese armed forces in the south.

Currently, UNIFIL comprises around 10,058 troops from 50 different countries, with Indonesia contributing the largest contingent of 1,231 soldiers. Other significant contributors include Italy, India, Nepal, and China. Military experts underscore that deliberately targeting UN missions is classified as a war crime under international law.

Military analyst Elijah Magnier commented on the situation, stating that this is not the first instance of UNIFIL being attacked by Israel. “Under the laws of war, UN personnel involved in peacekeeping operations, including armed members, are civilians,” he explained. “Deliberate attacks against them and peacekeeping facilities are unlawful and amount to war crimes.”

This perspective aligns with a report from Human Rights Watch, which cites Article 8(2)(b)(iii) of the Rome Statute, indicating that such attacks are indeed war crimes.

Following the Thursday attack, a UN statement underscored that these actions violate both international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mandates the protection of UN personnel and property. The statement emphasized, “Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law.” After the assault on UNIFIL headquarters, the UN reiterated the severity of the situation, declaring, “This is a serious development, and UNIFIL reiterates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed, and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times.”

Historically, UNIFIL has experienced tragic incidents, including an Israeli tank firing on a village hosting a UNIFIL command post in 1987, which resulted in the death of an Irish peacekeeper. Moreover, on October 22nd, UNIFIL reported that peacekeepers at a permanent observation post near Dhayra were observing IDF soldiers conducting house clearing operations when they were fired upon, leading to their withdrawal to avoid injury.

Another devastating incident occurred in 1996 when Israel shelled a Fijian battalion, leading to over 120 civilian deaths and injuries to four UN soldiers. Just last month, in late November 2023, Israeli forces fired at a UNIFIL patrol near Aitaroun, although no peacekeepers were harmed in that incident.

Military analyst Elijah Magnier suggested that the recent attacks may be indicative of Israel’s broader military strategy. He stated, “These incidents are happening because Israel needs to go through the UNIFIL position in Naqoura and start the invasion of Lebanon. This axis is vital for the Israeli army,” adding that a “huge” number of Israeli soldiers are poised to enter Lebanon.

UNIFIL peacekeepers, distinguishable by their blue helmets, are stationed in positions that are well-known to the Israeli military. It is highly unusual for a UN member state to deliberately target peacekeepers. Historically, most injuries and fatalities among peacekeepers have occurred due to crossfire involving armed groups or rebels. For instance, in 1994, 10 Belgian soldiers serving in the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda were killed by Rwandan forces, a UN member state.

Spanish peacekeepers of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon coordinate their patrol with Lebanese army in Marjayoun in south Lebanon, on 8 October 2024 (AFP)

Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry said the Israeli army attacked a UNIFIL watchtower in Naqoura, October 11, 2024 (Aziz Taher/Reuters)

“There is no way that you could interpret the operation post as posing any kind of threat to Hezbollah or the Israeli Defense Forces, and therefore the attack on the Naqoura observation post was very sinister and marked a significant escalation in the tensions between UNIFIL and Israeli forces. All UN posts are highly visible; they are not normal military posts in a conflict zone that seek to conceal their location. They are very vulnerable because they have to be visible, to be seen carrying out the mandate on behalf of the UNSC and the international community. Their role is not a combat role and was never intended to be a combat role,”  says Raymond Murphy, Professor at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University of Galway and former UN peacekeeper.

Political and Security Affairs Analyst Ali Riza, weighed in on Israel’s perspective regarding UNIFIL. “The Israelis view UNIFIL in a hostile way,” he said. Riza noted that for quite some time, Israel has been demanding changes to UNIFIL’s mandate, seeking a Chapter 7 designation that would grant UNIFIL the authority to use force. “This stems from a sense of dissatisfaction on the part of Israel regarding UNIFIL, and this is being translated into the actions they have taken, which is unprecedented,” Riza explained. He also remarked on the daily violations of Israeli sovereignty and the historical perception of the UN as a protective force by the Lebanese and Arab populations.

 “Israel, for years, has been critical of the UN and the role the UN plays in the Arab-Israeli conflict,” says Rami Khouri, a distinguished public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut. “They don’t care about international law; all they want is their supremacy in the region.”

In light of these developments, the importance of UNIFIL in facilitating dialogue between Lebanon and Israel cannot be overstated. Given that there are no formal diplomatic relations between the two countries, the UN peacekeeping force has played a crucial role in addressing violations of UN Resolution 1701 from both sides.

The reaction from the international community has been pronounced. Notably, the UNIFIL spokesperson emphasized that ‘Hizbullah’s rocket launches from locations near our positions have put peacekeepers in danger,’ although he clarified that the disarming of the group in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 is not within UNIFIL’s mandate and cannot be effectively achieved through further Israeli military action.

In light of the increasing violence, UNIFIL has reported that its personnel face significant threats. A medical facility at a UNIFIL position in Beit Leif was damaged by an unidentified shell or rocket, and two shells of unknown origin impacted near a UNIFIL position in Kafer Chouba, damaging living accommodations while peacekeepers were sheltered at the time.

In response to accusations regarding operations near UNIFIL positions, a Hezbollah spokesperson stated that Israeli forces have used UNIFIL sites for cover during military actions, emphasizing that the resistance does not target these locations to protect peacekeepers.

The UK government expressed being “appalled” by reports that Israel intentionally targeted the UN base, while US President Joe Biden urged Israel to avoid striking UN peacekeepers during operations against Hezbollah. Additionally, France, Italy, and Spain issued a joint statement condemning the attacks on peacekeepers as “unjustifiable” and called for them to “immediately cease.”

As the situation continues to unfold, Israel claims that the UN has failed to enforce Resolution 1701, which called for a demilitarized zone and the disarmament of Hezbollah, asserting that this failure has contributed to the ongoing conflict. In response, UNIFIL has stated that Israel’s ground invasion of southern Lebanon violates Resolution 1701. 

“It’s very hard to take a lecture from Israel in terms of holding UN resolutions right now, or indeed international law, when we’ve seen completely disproportionate war and the impact that has had from the humanitarian crisis point of view of civilians, including children,” says Simone Harris, the Taoiseach (Prime minister of Ireland). 

Harris emphasized the need for learning from historical peace processes, suggesting, “There are significant lessons to be learned from the Northern Ireland peace process, the first being to never allow the world to believe that a terrorist organization is the same as a country.”

As tensions mount, the role of UNIFIL as a stabilizing force in Lebanon faces unprecedented challenges. Observers are closely monitoring the situation, with implications for international peacekeeping missions and regional security hanging in the balance.