United Nations peacekeepers remain in all positions in Lebanon

(Patria) - United Nations peacekeepers will remain in all positions in Lebanon despite Israeli calls to move amid intensifying fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and after five blue helmets were injured, the head of UN peacekeeping forces said on Monday, AFP reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday again called on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon to move from certain areas near Israel's border with Lebanon, stating that it is "completely false" that Israeli forces targeted UN forces, UNIFIL.

Israel has faced sharp criticism for the injuries and damage sustained by UN peacekeepers, who have been deployed in Lebanon since the first of four major Israeli ground offensives into its neighbor in 1978.

"The decision has been made for UNIFIL to remain in all its positions for the time being, despite calls from the Israeli Defense Forces to leave positions located near the Blue Line," said UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

"I want to emphasize that this decision still stands," adding that the plan was confirmed earlier on Monday by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Five peacekeepers were injured in a series of incidents last week, after UN forces accused Israeli troops of breaking through a gate and entering one of their positions.

The Israeli military later said a tank "moved back a few meters and entered a UNIFIL base" while it was "under fire" and attempting to evacuate injured soldiers.

The UN Security Council unanimously expressed "strong concern" for the first time on Monday following a series of incidents.

"Against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities along the Blue Line, Security Council members have expressed their strong concern after several UNIFIL positions were exposed to fire in recent days," said the rotating President of the Security Council, currently Swiss Ambassador to the UN Pascale Baeriswyl.

"Several peacekeepers were injured."

In a statement, which did not single out Israel, the fifteen Security Council members "called on all parties to respect the security of UNIFIL personnel and premises. They recalled that UN peacekeepers and UN premises must never be a target of attack."

The Council's intervention followed two closed-door meetings on the deteriorating situation in Lebanon. According to Security Council Resolution 1701, only about 9,500 UNIFIL soldiers and the Lebanese army should be deployed in southern Lebanon.