Currently Online 
‘Feels like Israel is going to war with the UN’
UN forces are once again in the firing line and this is being taken very seriously. The UN has sent letters to the Israeli government, saying Israel knows it is a peacekeeping mission and knows its location.
This is the fourth attack in as many days. You can attribute one attack to the fog of war, but four attacks amount to deliberate targeting, according to the people we’ve been talking to.
UNIFIL have an observation tower in this area. One of the reasons for that mission is observation and looking for infractions across the border. They coordinate with Israel and Lebanon, they know where they are and they’re not trying to hide.
So now people are wondering what Israel’s position towards the UN is because this is not happening only here. UNRWA is also under threat. Israel is trying to designate it as a terrorist organisation and trying to turn its headquarters into housing for settlers.
One person from the UN I spoke to said this feels like Israel is going to war with the UN.
Israel’s plans to ban UNRWA ‘unacceptable’: WHO director-general
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO), has criticised Israel’s plans to ban The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the occupied West Bank and Gaza in a post on X.
UNRWA supports some 6 million Palestinian refugees who live within and outside Palestine, providing direct services, such as schools, primary health centres and other social services.
“UNRWA was established by the countries of the world – the UN members – to ensure health and well-being of Palestinians and it has done so for over 70 years” Tedros said.
Peacekeepers wounded, Israeli tanks ‘moved in proximity of UN position’: UNIFIL
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirms in a statement that its headquarters in southern Lebanon’s Naqoura has been hit by explosions for the second time in 48 hours.
“Two peacekeepers were injured after two explosions occurred close to an observation tower. One injured peacekeeper was taken to a hospital in Tyre, while the second is being treated in Naqoura,” it said.
The statement added that multiple walls of the UN position came down after an Israeli military bulldozer hit its perimeter and tanks “moved in the proximity of the UN position”, but the UN peacekeepers remained in position and called in reinforcements.
“Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council resolution 1701 (2006),” it said, adding that peacekeepers are at serious risk.
France summons Israeli envoy over attack on Lebanon UN peacekeepers
France says it summoned the Israeli ambassador after UN peacekeepers in Lebanon said Israeli fire on their headquarters wounded two staff.
“These attacks constitute serious violations of international law and must cease immediately. The Israeli authorities must explain themselves,” the French Foreign Ministry said. “France is therefore summoning, today the Israeli ambassador to France.”
Israel says UN peacekeepers ‘inadvertently hurt’ during its attack
The Israeli military says it was “conducting a thorough review” to determine details of attacks on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, after mission members were injured on consecutive days.
The military said it was notified “that two UN peacekeepers were inadvertently hurt during [Israeli military] combat against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The [Israeli military] expresses deep concern over incidents of this kind and is currently conducting a thorough review at the highest levels of command to determine the details,” the army said in a statement.
US defense secretary urges Israel to protect UNIFIL
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has urged his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to ensure the safety of UNIFIL forces and to coordinate efforts to “pivot from military operations to a diplomatic pathway as soon as possible”.
His comment came after Israeli forces hit UN bases in the south of Lebanon for two consecutive days, wounding at least two soldiers. UNIFIL peacekeeping forces have been stationed there since 2006 to secure stability in the troubled region following a 34-day war between Hezbollah and Israel.
France, Italy, Spain ‘outraged’ by Israel’s attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
France, Italy and Spain have condemned in a joint statement the recent targeting of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, by the Israel army. The statement said such attacks are “unjustifiable” and should “immediately come to an end”.
“We express our outrage after several peacekeepers were injured in Naqoura. These attacks constitute serious violation of the obligations of Israel under UNSCR [United Nations Security Council Resolution] 1701 and under humanitarian international law,” the statement said.
“We recall that all peacekeepers must be protected and reiterate our praise for the continued and indispensable commitment of UNIFIL troops/personnel in this very challenging context,” it added as it called for “an immediate ceasefire”.
Israeli attacks on UNIFIL positions in the past two days have wounded four peacekeepers.
Biden says ‘absolutely’ asking Israel to stop firing at UN peacekeepers
US President Joe Biden says he “absolutely, positively” is asking Israel to stop firing at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon after question by a reporter at the White House. His comments follow incidents in which Blue Helmets were wounded, drawing condemnation of Israel from the UN chief and its Western allies.
Biden’s administration has often claimed that they are pressuring the Israeli government to alter aspects of its military operations since its war on Gaza began.
However, Israel has often continued to operate seemingly without consequence, with the US having provided so-far-unconditional military and diplomatic support for its war.
Asking and urging isn't worth shit with Netanyahu. Biden is just virtue signalling, he knows damn well Netanyahu isn't listening.
