“Completely unacceptable”: EU condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanese peacekeepers

Luxembourg: The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday described a series of Israeli attacks that injured UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as “completely unacceptable”.

“The 27 (EU) members agreed to ask the Israelis to stop attacking UNIFIL,” Borrell told reporters ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg. “Attacking UN soldiers is completely unacceptable,” he added.

At least five peacekeepers have been injured in recent days in southern Lebanon in Israeli attacks targeting Hezbollah.

UNIFIL, a mission of about 9,500 troops of different nationalities created after Israel’s 1978 invasion of Lebanon, has accused the Israeli military of “deliberately” firing on its positions.

“There are many European members participating in this mission,” Borrell said. “Their work is very important.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on UN chief Antonio Guterres to remove peacekeepers deployed in south Lebanon from “harm’s path”, saying Hezbollah was using them as “human shields”. UNIFIL has refused to abandon its positions.