Spain condemns Israeli attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - The Spanish government on Wednesday condemned an Israeli attack near a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) contingent, which threatened the safety of its personnel and hindered the mission from carrying out its mandate.

In a statement, the government urged all parties to guarantee the safety of UNIFIL personnel and facilities, stressing that Israel must respect its obligations under international law.

Spain also reiterated its firm commitment to the stability of Lebanon and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the statement added.

UNIFIL said that Israeli drones dropped four grenades close to its peacekeepers working to clear roadblocks near the Blue Line, the de facto border, early Tuesday.

UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was significantly reinforced under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah.

Israel launched a military offensive in Lebanon on Oct. 8, 2023, which escalated into a full-scale war by September of the following year, killing more than 4,000 people and injuring 17,000.

A ceasefire was reached last November, but Israel has conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activities.

Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26 under the truce, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.