United Nations: India joined 29 countries in demanding safeguards for UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, caught in escalating Israel-Hezbollah clashes following the Iran war.
The group urged "all parties, under all circumstances, to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and premises, in accordance with international law. Peacekeepers must never be the target of attacks or intimidation of any kind," their joint statement said Wednesday (local time), praising UNIFIL's "courage, professionalism and dedication."
India's 642 troops form the second-largest contingent in the 7,438-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978 to monitor hostilities and help Beirut regain control of southern Lebanon.
France's UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont read the statement outside the Security Council—with India's Permanent Representative P. Harish present—ahead of discussions on Lebanon. It condemned last week's attack injuring three Ghanaian peacekeepers amid heavy firing, insisting those responsible face accountability. The UN is investigating without assigning blame.
The statement slammed Hezbollah's "reckless decision to join the Iranian attacks against Israel," pulling Lebanon into an unwanted war. It urged Israel to avoid strikes on civilian areas, respect Lebanese sovereignty, and uphold international humanitarian law for civilians and infrastructure.
Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix described UNIFIL's "dangerous and precarious" operations. Since March 1, the force logged 4,120 "trajectories" across the Blue Line dividing Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah launched daily rockets, missiles, and drones at Israel and the occupied Syrian Golan, while Israeli forces made incursions into Lebanon, sparking direct clashes.
(Inputs from IANS)