Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday 13 October called on the UN chief to move UN peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon out of “harm’s way”. A dishevelled Netanyahu, speaking to camera, told the UN peacekeepers to leave “right now” – in another sign the genocidal leader of the genocidal Israeli state is growing increasingly out-of-control.
Netanyahu: a rogue leader out-of-control
Netanyahu’s appeal to UN chief Antonio Guterres comes a day after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) refused to withdraw from the border area despite Israel injuring five of its members as the rogue state continues to attack them.
An increasingly out-of-control Netanyahu said
Mr Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm’s way. It should be done right now, immediately.
Your refusal to evacuate the UNIFIL soldiers makes them hostages of Hezbollah. This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers.
We regret the injuring of UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing everything in our power to prevent this injuring. But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone.
WATCH⚡️
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “I am addressing the UN Secretary-General directly: Your refusal to evacuate the UNIFIL soldiers is turning them into Hezbollah’s hostages.”
“By you not evacuating your UNFIL “peacekeeper” you are endangering their lives, we have asked… pic.twitter.com/q2ezWHBXwH
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) October 13, 2024
A seemingly deranged Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting, said Israeli forces had asked UNIFIL several times to leave but it had “met with repeated refusals” that provided a “human shield to Hezbollah terrorists”.
UNIFIL has refused to leave its positions in southern Lebanon.
Israel attacking UNIFIL
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP in an interview on Saturday:
There was a unanimous decision to stay because it’s important for the UN flag to still fly high in this region, and to be able to report to the Security Council.
Tenenti said Israel had asked UNIFIL to withdraw from positions “up to five kilometres (three miles) from the Blue Line” separating both countries, but the peacekeepers refused.
That would have included its 29 positions in Lebanon’s south.
UNIFIL, a mission of about 9,500 troops of various nationalities that was created in 1978, is tasked with monitoring a ceasefire that ended a 33-day war in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah.
Forty nations that contribute to the peacekeeping force in Lebanon said on Saturday that they “strongly condemn recent attacks” on the peacekeepers.
“Such actions must stop immediately and should be adequately investigated,” said the joint statement, posted on X by the Polish UN mission and signed by nations including leading contributors Indonesia, Italy, and India.
As the Canary previously reported, Israel has repeatedly attack UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has intervened. He told Israel it must “respect” UN peacekeepers in Lebanon:
I am close to all the people involved, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, where I ask that the UN peacekeepers be respected.
I once again call for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts that the paths of diplomacy and dialogue be pursued to achieve peace.
I pray for all the victims, for the displaced, for the hostages… and I hope that this great and unnecessary suffering, generated by hatred and revenge, will end soon.
Brothers and sisters, war is an illusion. It will never bring peace, it will never bring security, it is a defeat for everyone, especially because you believe you are invincible. Please stop.
Featured image via screengrab
Additional reporting via Agence-France Presse
