Tel Aviv: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to withdraw UN peacekeeping forces from southern Lebanon, citing the danger posed to both 'UNIFIL soldiers and Israeli troops'.
Netanyahu stated that the refusal to evacuate UNIFIL soldiers has effectively turned them into hostages of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group operating in Lebanon.
In a video address on Sunday Netanyahu affirmed, "We are marking one year of the harsh war that was forced on us - the war of redemption against Iran's axis of evil, which has risen up to destroy us."
Further, he emphasised Israel's determination to ensure its future and defeat its enemies. He highlighted the military's successes in Lebanon and affirmed, "We eliminated Nasrallah and his senior personnel. Our heroic soldiers are destroying Hezbollah's weapons, command centers, and terrorist tunnels."
Netanyahu highlighted that Israel is not fighting the Lebanese people but rather 'Iran's terrorist proxy Hezbollah', which has occupied Lebanon.
Addressing the UN Secretary-General directly, Netanyahu said, "The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones. The IDF has requested this repeatedly and has met with repeated refusal, which has the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields. Your refusal to evacuate UNIFIL soldiers has turned them into hostages of Hezbollah. This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers."
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"We regret the harm to UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing our utmost to prevent such harm. But the simplest and most obvious way to ensure this is simply to withdraw them from the danger zone. Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way. It should be done right now, immediately," he added.
Netanyahu's appeal comes after two Indonesian peacekeepers were injured on October 11 when Israeli tank fire hit a UNIFIL observation tower in Naqoura, Lebanon.The Israeli Defense Forces acknowledged operating in the area, noting Hezbollah's presence near UN positions.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was created by the Security Council in March 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.
In his statement, Netanyahu also addressed the situation in Gaza, where Israeli forces are working to eliminate Hamas and secure the release of hostages 1. He reaffirmed Israel's commitment to protecting its citizens and ensuring its security.
The White House has also weighed in on the conflict, with President Joe Biden reaffirming the US's "ironclad commitment" to Israel's security during a call with Netanyahu on October 9.
Biden condemned Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1 and emphasised the need for a diplomatic solution to safely return civilians to their homes on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border.
—ANI