The European Union (EU) condemned this Sunday, April 19, the attack against elements of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, which killed a French peacekeeper and injured three others, blaming the Shiite militia Hezbollah.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service stated “that, according to all indications, (the attack) was carried out by Hezbollah”, which the extremist group close to Iran has already denied.
An ambush carried out on Saturday resulted in the death of a French soldier serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (FINUL) and also left three injured, two of which were serious.
Brussels demands that a “rapid, exhaustive and independent investigation be carried out to ensure that those responsible are held to account”.
Recalling that attacks on United Nations personnel are a strike in violation of international law, the EU reaffirmed its “unwavering support for UNIFIL” for its “vital role (…) in preserving stability” in the region.
The EU further urged “all parties to respect the agreed ceasefire and Hezbollah to disarm and immediately end the attacks”.
The situation remains very unstable in Lebanon, where a fragile ceasefire came into force on Thursday, announced by Washington after a meeting at the beginning of the week between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States, the first meeting of its kind in decades.
Lebanon was drawn into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah resumed attacks against Israel on March 2, after the start of the Israeli-American offensive against Iran, an ally and financier of the Lebanese Shiite group.
On the same day, the Lebanese authorities banned Hezbollah’s military activities, after several months of seeking to disarm the group, which, however, refuses to hand over its military equipment while the country is under threat from Israel and has not ceased its air strikes against the neighboring country.
In response, Israeli forces launched a vast military operation in Lebanon, through intensive bombings allegedly against Hezbollah targets, in addition to expanding the land positions they already occupied in the south of the country.
In statements made on Saturday, the Hezbollah leader promised to retaliate against Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
“A ceasefire means the complete cessation of all hostilities. As we do not trust this enemy (Israel), resistance fighters will remain on the ground, ready to fire, and will respond to any violations,” assured Naim Qassem in a statement read on television, adding that a truce cannot be unilateral.
The Hezbollah leader stated that the way “the United States is imposing its text and speaking on behalf of the Lebanese Government” is an insult to Lebanon.
