jordan pulse -

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Israeli forces have again violated its operations in southern Lebanon, in breach of Israel’s obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as its duty to ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of peacekeepers at all times.

In a statement, UNIFIL said it recorded two incidents on Saturday in which Israeli soldiers rammed UNIFIL vehicles using a Merkava tank, causing significant damage in one case. It added that Israeli forces had also blocked a road in Al-Bayyada used to access UNIFIL positions.

Over the past week, Israeli soldiers fired what they described as "warning shots" in the area, striking clearly marked UNIFIL vehicles and causing damage. In one incident, a shot landed just one meter from a peacekeeper after he had disembarked from his vehicle.

The statement said Israeli forces had continued to obstruct the movement of peacekeepers along the same route in recent days, alongside other incidents restricting freedom of movement in different areas. Since early April, Israeli troops have also destroyed protection cameras at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura and at five other locations along the Blue Line stretching from Ras Naqoura to Maroun Al-Ras.

It added that on Friday, Israeli soldiers sprayed paint on the windows of a pedestrian gate at the headquarters, obstructing visibility of the surrounding area.

UNIFIL said such actions contradict Israel’s obligations under Resolution 1701 and undermine its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers and their unrestricted movement. It added that the incidents hamper the force’s ability to access its positions and report violations committed by both sides on the ground.

"Peacekeepers will remain in their positions and continue, with full impartiality, to report the violations they observe to the Security Council," the statement said.

//Petra// AF