Italy’s Meloni plans Lebanon visit, seeks security guarantees for troops
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Italy has troops in UN peacekeeping mission Unifil, a separate mission known as Mibil, and in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ROME - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Oct 15 she plans to visit Lebanon and called for security guarantees for her country’s troops there after UN peacekeepers came under fire during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Italy has over 1,000 troops deployed in the UN peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil). It also has troops in a separate mission known as Mibil which trains local armed forces in Lebanon.
The UN Security Council expressed concern on Oct 14 after several UN peacekeeping positions came under fire in southern Lebanon and urged all parties – without naming them – to respect the safety and security of Unifil personnel and premises.
Since the start of Israeli ground operation in Lebanon on Oct 1, Unifil positions have been affected 20 times, including by direct fire and an incident on Oct 13 when two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of an Unifil base, the UN said.
“We believe that the attitude of the Israeli forces is completely unjustified,” Ms Meloni told the Italian Senate, describing it as a “blatant violation” of a UN resolution on ending hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
“It is already planned for me to go to Lebanon, as (Foreign) Minister (Antonio) Tajani is preparing to go to Israel and Palestine next week,” she told lawmakers, without providing details on the timing of her trip.
In an address to lawmakers before a meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels later this week, she said Israel’s actions were not acceptable and that she had expressed this position to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Netanyahu has denied Israeli troops deliberately targeted Unifil peacekeepers in Lebanon and wants the peacekeepers withdrawn from combat zones.
Italy has protested to Israel and joined allies in condemning the attacks on the peacekeepers.
Ms Meloni said Hezbollah had also violated the UN resolution and sought “to militarise the area under Unifil’s jurisdiction”, adding that Italy wanted to strengthen the capabilities of Unifil and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
She also said Rome had not forgotten the attack by Hamas militants on Israeli communities on Oct 7, 2023, that sparked the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, and that Italy’s thoughts were with the more than 100 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. REUTERS
