Beirut, March 17: United Nations peacekeepers and Lebanese Army personnel were pelted with stones in south Lebanon Wednesday, said to be thrown from Israeli Army positions to the south of the Blue Line.
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol was apparently targeted along with Lebanese Army soldiers while on a routine early morning mission close to the Fatima Gate crossing.
“According to UNIFIL’s preliminary reports, this morning on two occasions stones were thrown from the Israeli side across the technical fence and the Blue Line. The stones fell very close to [Lebanese Army] personnel, and on one occasion close to UNIFIL peacekeepers,” UNIFIL spokesperson Neeraj Singh told The Daily Star.
“An [Israeli Army] position is located in the vicinity and an [Israeli Army] patrol was also present in the area during the incident. UNIFIL protested the stone-throwing incident with the [Israeli Army]. The [Israeli Army] denied carrying out any aggressive action against UNIFIL or [Lebanese Army] personnel.”
The Lebanese Army accused Israeli soldiers of throwing the stones.
“In violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and U.N. [Security Council] Resolution 1701, an Israeli infantry patrol of a three-man strength hurled stones early this morning at UNIFIL members,” an army communiqué said.
UNIFIL sources said an investigation had been started into the incident.
Tension along the Blue Line has prevailed since last year’s deadly altercation between Lebanese and Israeli troops. Two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed in an exchange of gunfire on Aug. 3 close to the southern village of Adaysseh.
In July 2010, a UNIFIL contingent was attacked by stone throwing southern residents close to the village of Khirbet Silm. The U.N. has repeatedly asked for UNIFIL peacekeepers to be allowed freedom of movement in its area of operations.
———Agencies