Josep Borrell condemned a series of attacks by the Israeli army that injured UN soldiers in southern Lebanon. He also noted that EU nations had waited too long to condemn Israel's actions against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
"The European Union member states will call on Israel to stop attacking UNIFIL," Borrell stated.
Through social media, the head of EU diplomacy stated that the EU condemns all attacks against UN missions and expresses particular concern regarding the attacks by the IDF on UNIFIL. He also expressed deep concern over Hezbollah's launch of rockets into Israel and the IDF's strikes in densely populated areas of Lebanon.
„The European Union expresses its grave concern about the recent escalation along the Blue Line. The EU condemns all attacks against UN missions. It expresses particularly grave concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which left several peacekeepers wounded. Such attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute a grave violation of international law and are totally unacceptable. These attacks must stop immediately” – it was mentioned in an official announcement on the European Council's website.
EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell speaks during a debate on the 'Escalation of violence in the Middle East and the situation in Lebanon' during a session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Francce (Ch. Petit Tesson/PAP/EPA)
EU countries, led by Italy, France, and Spain, contribute thousands of soldiers to the 10,000-strong peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. Israel has urged the United Nations to withdraw its forces from the conflict zone.
As previously reported by Radio Poland, the Polish government condemned the Israeli attack on UN positions in Lebanon, and the foreign ministry confirmed that 250 Polish soldiers serving in the peacekeeping mission are safe.
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Source: IAR/Reuters/AFP/consilium.europa.eu
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