UN peacekeepers condemn Israel’s dropping of ‘non-toxic chemical substance’ in southern Lebanon

By Rania Abushamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Monday condemned the dropping of a chemical substance by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon “unacceptable” and a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

In a statement, the UNIFIL said peacekeepers were forced to cancel over a dozen activities on Sunday after the Israeli army dropped what Tel Aviv called a “non-toxic chemical substance” over areas near the Blue Line, a de facto border.

“This activity was unacceptable and contrary to resolution 1701,” the mission said, adding that peacekeepers could not perform normal operations near the Blue Line along about a third of its length.

Peacekeepers “were only able to resume normal activities after over nine hours. They supported the Lebanese Armed Forces in collecting samples to be tested for toxicity,” it added.

Resolution 1701, adopted in August 2006, calls for a halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and the creation of a weapons-free zone between the UN-demarcated Blue Line, and the Litani River, except for Lebanese army forces and UNIFIL.

The UN mission said the Israeli army’s “deliberate and planned actions not only limited peacekeepers’ ability to undertake their mandated activities, but also potentially put their health and that of civilians at risk.”

“It also raised concerns about the effects of this unknown chemical on local agricultural lands, and how this might impact the return of civilians to their homes and livelihoods in the long-term.”

It called on the Israeli army “to stop all such activities and work with peacekeepers to support the stability we are all working to achieve.”

From time to time, the UN peacekeeping forces say their positions in southern Lebanon have come under Israeli fire, calling for adherence to a ceasefire that has been in place in Lebanon since November 2024.

The ceasefire has ended more than a year of attacks that killed over 4,000 people and injured 17,000 others against the backdrop of Israel's war in Gaza.

The Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January 2025 under the ceasefire, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.