1 of 2|President Joe Biden provides an upgrade on Hurricane Milton healing efforts in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Throughout the instruction, he stated Israel “definitely” needs to not target U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon while fighting Hezbollah militants. Picture by Aaron Schwartz/UPI|License Photo
Oct. 12 (UPI)– President Joe Biden states he “definitely, favorably” desires Israel to stop shooting at United Nations peacekeepers while targeting Hezbollah militia forces in southern Lebanon.
While providing an upgrade on Hurricane Milton at the White House on Friday, the president was asked if he asking Israel to “stop striking U.N. peacekeepers,” to which he responded to, “Absolutely, favorably.”
The remarks came as worldwide alarm is growing over a set of events today in which the Israel Defense Forces have actually assaulted positions held by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers.
In a stern declaration released Thursday, UNIFIL stated 2 Sri Lankan peacekeepers were hurt after an IDF tank fired and struck its head office observation tower in Naqoura, Lebanon, triggering it to fall, a day after 2 other peacekeepers were hurt in a comparable event.
The fire taken by UNIFIL members was condemned by France, Italy and Spain, who each contribute soldiers to the force. In a joint declaration released Friday, they stated the events make up a “major infraction of the responsibilities of Israel under UNSCR 1701 and under humanitarian worldwide law.”
IDF authorities have actually confessed their soldiers was accountable for the Thursday event, guaranteeing it would be examined.
UNIFIL stated Saturday a 5th peacekeeper was struck by shooting Friday night at its head office in Naqoura. The solider went through surgical treatment and remains in steady condition, although the origin of the shooting stayed unidentified.
“Also last night, structures in our UN position in Ramyah sustained substantial damage due to surges from neighboring shelling,” the force stated. “We advise all stars of their commitments to guarantee the security and security of UN worker and facilities, consisting of preventing battle activities near UNIFIL positions.”
The most recent injury to a UNIFIL member brought a fresh denunciation of Israel’s actions in Lebanon from Italy.
“We would like to know whether it was a political option or the option of the military on the ground,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated Saturday, according to the Italian news firm ANSA. “Our military workers are not Hezbollah terrorists and we are buddies of Israel.
“We are awaiting responses from the Israeli query.”
A Lebanese guy stands in the remains of a structure after Israeli airstrikes in the Laylaki and Haret Hireyk areas of Dahieh, an area in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 1, 2024. Image by Fadel Itani/UPI|License Photo