The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned recent attacks by Israeli forces on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), accusing the Israeli government of seeking to spread the conflict across the Middle East and calling for a “unified stance” against Israel from the international community.
In a statement on Sunday the ministry said Israel’s repeated attacks on UNIFIL are “a clear indication of its policy of occupying Lebanon and its willingness to use military power without hesitation.”
The ministry called on each member of the UN Security Council to prevent attacks by Israel against the UN forces that they have mandated in Lebanon, saying it is important to allow UNIFIL to fulfill its mission of contributing to the security of the region.
The ministry also called on all countries to take a unified stance against Israel and the countries that provide weapons to it.
The latest Israeli attack on UNIFIL took place on Sunday, when two Israeli tanks entered a UNIFIL base in Ramyah, southern Lebanon, destroying the main gate. The attack followed a series of violations that have injured at least five UN peacekeepers since October 10.
The ministry, in another statement on October 10 concerning Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers, described the attack as a manifestation of Israel’s perception that its actions, “following its massacres against civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon,” will go unpunished.
“The international community is obligated to ensure that Israel abides by […] international law,” the ministry said.
UNIFIL, established in 1978 following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, is a peacekeeping force of approximately 10,000 troops from 50 countries. Its mandate includes monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and assisting the Lebanese government in restoring its authority in southern Lebanon.
Turkey contributes to UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force with one corvette/frigate and five personnel at UNIFIL headquarters.
The attacks on UNIFIL have drawn widespread international condemnation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the attacks, stating, “Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law and may constitute a war crime.” He urged all parties, including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), to refrain from actions that put peacekeepers at risk.
Israel, however, maintains that UNIFIL has failed in its mission to uphold UN Resolution 1701, which was intended to ensure Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the border area. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for UNIFIL to relocate, claiming that Hezbollah uses the peacekeepers as “human shields.”