By Lucy Adautin
As Israel battles Hezbollah in Lebanon, an unexpected conflict has emerged. UN peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon have raised concerns about being targeted by Israeli fire, with the UN reporting that over 15 of its soldiers have been injured.
Israel denies attacking the peacekeepers but has urged them to vacate the area, accusing them of failing in their mission to disarm Hezbollah along the blue line. Despite Israel’s insistence, the UN has refused to withdraw its forces.
The Guardian reports that the dispute has deep roots, with Israel and the UN having had a fraught relationship since the beginning.
Tensions have escalated even further since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October 7. Israel has barred the UN’s secretary-general from entering the country, accusing the organization of antisemitism.
Various UN departments have issued numerous condemnations of Israel’s actions, and the general assembly passed a resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories within a year.
