Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday to remove UNIFIL (UN Interim Force in Lebanon) troops from Hezbollah strongholds as their presence presents a danger to both the UN personnel, and Israeli soldiers.
“We are marking one year of the harsh war that was forced on us – the war of redemption against Iran’s axis of evil, which has risen up to destroy us. We are more determined than ever to ensure our future; we are more determined than ever to defeat our enemies,” Netanyahu said in a relatively lengthy Hebrew-language video message.
(Note: One can turn on auto-translate in the settings and see English subtitles.)
“In Lebanon we eliminated Nasrallah and his senior personnel. Our heroic soldiers are destroying Hezbollah’s weapons, command centers and terrorist tunnels. They are fighting forcefully to return our residents in the north safely to their homes. We are not fighting the Lebanese people, we are fighting Iran’s terrorist proxy Hezbollah, which has occupied Lebanon,” Netanyahu pointed out.
“I would like to appeal directly to the UN Secretary General: The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones,” the prime minister said bluntly. “The IDF has requested this repeatedly and has met with repeated refusal, which has the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields. Your refusal to evacuate UNIFIL soldiers has turned them into hostages of Hezbollah. This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers.
“We regret the harm to UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing our utmost to prevent such harm,” the prime minister said. “But the simplest and most obvious way to ensure this is simply to withdraw them from the danger zone.
“Mr. Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm’s way. It should be done right now, immediately.
“Unfortunately, several European leaders are applying pressure in the wrong place. Instead of criticizing Israel, they need to direct their criticism at Hezbollah, which is using UNIFIL as a human shield, just as Hamas in Gaza is using UNRWA as a human shield,” Netanyahu emphasized.
“In Gaza we are continuing to operate deep in the territory in order to eliminate Hamas and bring about the release of our hostages. Our brave soldiers are now in the heart of Jabaliya where they are dismantling Hamas’s strongholds.
“The 101 of our hostages who are in Gaza have always been our chief concern. We will do everything to bring them, all of them, back home, the living and the deceased,” he said, reiterating a pledge he has made in every statement since the start of the war.
“In Judea and Samaria, our forces are acting without respite on the ground and in the air to thwart terrorism. The terrorism there will not win because we will not allow it to.
“In other arenas, we will continue to take action to ensure Israel’s security.
“There are moments during the war when one simple rule must be adhered to, and I request that all ministers adhere to this rule: Say little and do much. With God’s help, we will do this and we will succeed.”
Lebanese Army Directly Affected?
Multiple foreign media reported Friday that two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others wounded in an Israeli air strike hours after the Israeli military allegedly fired on UNIFIL headquarters for the second time in as many days.
In response, the IDF said its forces were targeting Hezbollah positions and was “unaware of any Lebanese army facilities found in the area of the strike”.
UNIFIL: Two Peacekeepers Wounded
“This morning, UNIFIL’s Naqoura headquarters was affected by explosions for the second time in the last 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,” the UN force said in a statement issued Friday.
In its statements, the force has been careful not to blame Israel or Hezbollah for incidents and injuries.
“Today, several T-walls at our UN position 1-31, near the Blue Line in Labbouneh, fell when an IDF caterpillar hit the perimeter and IDF tanks moved in the proximity of the UN position. Our peacekeepers remained at the location, and a UNIFIL Quick Reaction Force was dispatched to assist and reinforce the position.
“These incidents put again UN peacekeepers, who are serving in south Lebanon at the request of the Security Council under resolution 1701 (2006), at very serious risks.
“This is a serious development, and UNFIL reiterates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times. Any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council resolution 1701 (2006),” UNIFIL said.
The situation escalated further on Friday night, UNIFIL said in a statement issued Saturday.
“Last night, a peacekeeper at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura was hit by gunfire due to ongoing military activity nearby,” UNIFIL said in a statement issued Saturday. “He underwent surgery at our Naqoura hospital to remove the bullet and is currently stable. We do not yet know the origin of the fire.
“Also last night (Friday night) buildings in our UN position in Ramyah sustained significant damage due to explosions from nearby shelling,” UNIFIL reported.
“We remind all actors of their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and premises, including avoiding combat activities near UNIFIL positions.” The statement was posted in English and in Arabic on UNIFIL’s Telegram channel.
But the question remains: Why are UNIFIL forces deploying anywhere near Hezbollah, an armed terrorist organization that has violated Resolution 1701 since the day it was signed in 2006. If UNIFIL declines to take an active role in disarming the terrorists — which it indeed refuses to do — then why deploy near the terrorists when Hezbollah starts a war and Israel decides to fight back?
Guterres Supporting Terrorists
Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced earlier this month (Oct. 2) that he declared the UN Secretary-General persona non grata in Israel, barring his entry into the country.
The decision followed Guterres’ response to Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, in which he failed to mention Iran by name and did not unequivocally condemn its aggression.
“This continues his anti-Israel policy since the beginning of the war, which has provided backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, and now to the mothership of global terror, Iran,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as nearly all the countries of the world have done, does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said.
“This is a Secretary-General who has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7 and has not led any resolutions to declare them a terrorist organization.
“A Secretary-General who provides support to the terrorists, rapists, and murderers of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran, the mothership of global terror, will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN for generations to come.”
