Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on United Nation peacekeeping troops to fully evacuate from southern Lebanon, saying Hezbollah is using them as “human shields.”
In a statement aimed directly at UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Netanyahu called for the full withdrawal of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon as Israel continues its ground assault on Hezbollah targets across the border.
“The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones,” Netanyahu said in his address. “The [Israel Defense Force] 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 our soldiers,” he added.
The prime minister also apologized for the injuries UNIFIL troops sustained under Israeli fire. Reports last week said at least two UN soldiers were hurt by a strike from an Israeli tank.
Netanyahu claimed that the only way to avoid further incidents was for the UNIFIL, which has more than 10,000 troops in Lebanon, to evacuate the area.
Established in 1978, the UNIFIL was first deployed to ensure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon and assist in restoring and maintaining the authority of the Lebanese government.
The UNIFIL has been caught in the middle of the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists, with the peacekeeping soldiers saying their stations have come under repeated Israeli fire.
One station in southern Lebanon said two IDF tanks rolled up at around 4:30 a.m. local time Sunday, demanding the UN troops turn off their lights and evacuate.
Hours later, the UN troops said the station was hit by what appeared to be a chemical weapon that emitted smoke and caused skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions from 15 soldiers.
Italy, which supplies 1,000 troops to the UNIFIL, condemned the attacks on the soldiers’ station, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni calling it “unacceptable.”
Meloni is now calling for the “full implementation” of the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1701, which ended the Israeli-Lebanon war in 2006.
The resolution called for a cease-fire and demilitarized buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon, where the IDF and Hezbollah are currently fighting.
Pope Francis also spoke out about the recent developments with the UN forces, urging that “the United Nations peacekeeping forces be respected.”
UNIFIL head Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro praised the work of the Italian soldiers who are operating in Lebanon during the armed conflict.
“Peacekeepers in south Lebanon are working under harsh conditions,” Lazaro wrote on X during a trip to the area. “I am fiercely proud of their courage and commitment.”
