THE civilians residing in Lebanonin the last hours under fire from incessant Israeli air raids, are the center of the concerns of Unifilthe UN mission deployed in the south of the country and which includes a thousand Italian soldiers. From the bunker of the United Nations military base in Naqura, in the far south of Lebanon, and in the midst of the battle between Hezbollah and Israel, Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for Unifil, assures ANSA that General Aroldo Lazaro, commander of the international forces, “he is in contact with both sides”, the Israelis and the Lebanese.
“Efforts are underway to reduce tensions and stop the bombings,” says Tenenti in reference to the continuous contacts between the Unifil command, the Israeli and Lebanese military leaders. The regular Lebanese army, deployed only symbolically in the south of the country, is in turn in close contact with the leadership of Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed party. This is deeply rooted in the country’s society and institutions, so much so that it cannot be distinguished from the civilian population of southern Lebanon, in the southern suburbs and in the eastern Bekaa valley. «Unifil expresses serious concern for the safety of civilians in southern Lebanon due to the most intense Israeli bombing campaign since last October», continues Tenenti. The spokesperson recalls how «any further escalation of this dangerous situation could have devastating and far-reaching consequences, not only for those living on both sides of the blue line (demarcation between Israel and Lebanon), but also for the entire region ».
The approximately one thousand Italian peacekeepers have been present in Lebanon under the banner of the United Nations since 2006, immediately after the war between Hezbollah and Israel which then lasted for an entire month and which had devastated Lebanon. The Italian soldiers are deployed in the western sector of the UN mission’s area of responsibility, in the coastal area of Tire and in the hinterland, the one currently least affected by the violence of the Israeli raids in the last few hours. These were mostly concentrated on the eastern sector of the Unifil area, in the districts of Bint Jbeil, Hasbaya and Marjuyoun. “According to what was reported by the Lebanese authorities – says Tenenti – hundreds of people were killed or injured.” And he recalls that Israeli attacks “against civilians not only constitute violations of international law, but could also amount to war crimes.” For this reason, the spokesperson continues, «Unifil reiterates its strong appeal for a diplomatic solution and urges all parties to give priority to the lives of civilians and to ensure that they are not put in danger».