International
Israeli Minister Denies UN Peacekeepers As Fighting Ramps Up
Israeli Energy Minister, Eli Cohen, on Monday accused the United Nations’ UNIFIL peacekeepers in south Lebanon of being a “useless” force that failed to protect Israelis from Hezbollah attacks.
Cohen called on UNIFIL to withdraw as fighting rages.
In a post on X, Cohen said the State of Israel will do everything to ensure the safety of its citizens, and if the UN cannot help, at least it should not interfere, and move its personnel from the combat zones.
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Israel and the United Nations have been trading accusations over the peacekeepers in south Lebanon, as Israel pushes its forces through the area in an attempt to wipe out Iran-backed Hezbollah and its military infrastructure.
The UN said Israeli tanks had burst into its base on Sunday, the latest allegations of Israeli violations against peacekeeping forces that have been condemned by Hezbollah and by Israel’s allies.
Israel disputed the UN account and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the peacekeepers to withdraw, saying they were providing human shields for Hezbollah during an upsurge in hostilities.
The UNIFIL peacekeeping force said two Israeli Merkava tanks destroyed the main gate of a base and forcibly entered before dawn on Sunday.
After the tanks left, shells exploded 100 metres away, releasing smoke that blew across the base and sickened UN personnel, it said in a statement.
The Middle East remains on high alert for Israel to retaliate against Iran for an October 1 barrage of long-range missiles launched in response to Israel’s assaults on Lebanon.
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The Pentagon on Sunday said it would send U.S. troops to Israel along with an advanced U.S. anti-missile system, as Israel weighs its expected retaliation against Iran.
Hezbollah denied it uses the proximity of peacekeepers for protection.
The Israeli military took foreign journalists into southern Lebanon on Sunday and showed them a Hezbollah tunnel shaft that was less than 200 metres away (650 feet) from a UNIFIL position, as well as weapon stashes that the troops found.
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