The rules of engagement for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) need to be revised to make the peacekeeping force more effective, according to the 16 EU countries contributing to it, Italy’s defense ministry said Wednesday.
The European Union allies also think pressure must be applied to prevent any more attacks by Israeli forces on UNIFIL positions, the statement said.
The Italian readout followed a call between the defense ministers of the 16 countries, taking place days after Israeli attacks on U.N. bases in Lebanon, and ahead of a Friday visit to the country by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The statement said a “key point that emerged from the meeting was a shared willingness to exert maximum political and diplomatic pressure on Israel so that no further incidents occur.”
It also said, “that Hezbollah cannot use UNIFIL personnel as shields in the context of the conflict.”
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel – an area that has seen serious clashes this month between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters.
Israel, which is currently invading Lebanon, has demanded the withdrawal of the UNIFIL forces, which include just over 1,000 Italian troops, but contributor nations have refused and angrily denounced repeated Israeli strikes against the bases that have injured some peacekeepers.
Since the start of Israel’s ground operation in Lebanon on Oct. 1, UNIFIL positions have been targeted 20 times, including by direct fire and an incident on Sunday when two Israeli tanks burst through the gates of a UNIFIL base, the U.N. has said.
