Denmark, Norway express deep concern over Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

By Ebad Ahmed

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AA) – Denmark and Norway on Friday both expressed their deep concern over Israel’s continuing attacks on UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.

In a statement, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said "any attack on UN peacekeeping forces is unacceptable," adding that "the protection of peacekeeping forces is an obligation for all parties in a conflict," local media reported.

The statement came after the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, demanded accountability from Israel, saying there is no justification for the attack on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL.

"Another line has been dangerously crossed in Lebanon: IDF (Israeli army) shelling of UN peacekeepers whose positions are known," Borrell wrote on X. "We condemn this inadmissible act.”

- Norway: Peacekeepers play ‘crucial role’ in de-escalating conflict

On X, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said: "It is deeply concerning that the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been fired upon by Israeli forces.”

“The peacekeeping force plays a crucial role in monitoring the situation and acting as a neutral actor that helps de-escalate conflict and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control. The UN's positions and infrastructure are well-known and clearly marked. It is, therefore, highly reprehensible that Israeli forces have now targeted several of UNIFIL's positions,” he added.

He urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians by complying with UN Security Council resolutions.

On Thursday, the UN peacekeeping force said the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura and several of its troops’ positions were repeatedly shelled by Israeli forces, injuring two troops. The situation remains tense as UNIFIL operates in a challenging environment amid ongoing military attacks in the region.

Israel has been mounting massive airstrikes across Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets since Sept. 23 that have killed more than 1,323 people and injured nearly 3,700.

The aerial campaign is an escalation of the year-long cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of Tel Aviv’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 42,000 people, most of them women and children, since a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.