Italian PM tells Israel’s Netanyahu attacks on UNIFIL “unacceptable”

ROME, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) — United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) being attacked by Israeli armed forces was “unacceptable,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told her Israeli counterpart in a phone call, Meloni’s office said on Sunday.
The call took place after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fired on UNIFIL positions several times in the last four days.
Since Sept. 23, Israel has escalated the fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, launching an airstrike campaign across the country, and lately entering south Lebanon with IDF troops.
In the call, Meloni stressed to Israel’s PM Netanyahu that ensuring the safety of peacekeepers deployed in south Lebanon was an absolute necessity.
“Meloni reiterated that it is unacceptable for UNIFIL to have been attacked by Israeli armed forces, recalling that the mission works on the basis of a Security Council mandate to help with regional stability,” her office said.
“Last week, the Israelis were a few metres away from the (UNIFIL) Irish base, and Italian outposts 1-31 and 1-32A — close to the Blue Line — were also hit by IDF,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Italian media in an interview.
Italy is among 48 countries currently contributing troops to UNIFIL, which operates with about 10,000 peacekeepers along the Blu Line that marks the separation between Israel and Lebanon. ■