UNIFIL under fire: Israel vs. the United Nations

Israel’s war of words with the United Nations has escalated into deliberate IDF attacks on its peacekeepers in Lebanon. These provocations reveal the embarrassing impotence of the UN and Israel’s sense of utter impunity as it pushes for a new regional war.

Since 7 October 2023, Israel’s already frosty relationship with the UN has deteriorated considerably, following criticism and legal rulings against the many atrocities Israel has committed in its genocidal war on Gaza – including the butchery of civilians and the killing of UN personnel. Of course, the “ironclad” support of US imperialism has turned all these criticisms and rulings into dead letters.

Nevertheless, Israel has retaliated by pushing its imperialist benefactors to cut funding for UNRWA, the UN-managed relief organisation that previously offered desperately needed food and medical supplies to the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly shown his contempt for the UN, referring to the body as an “antisemitic swamp” while addressing its last General Assembly meeting – and authorising the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader Nasrallah the same day. More recently, General Secretary Antonio Guterres has been declared persona non grata and banned from Israel, owing to alleged “antisemitic and anti-Israel conduct”.

Now, Israel’s invasion of Lebanon has resulted in confrontations with UN soldiers. Since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon at the end of the 1978 war, UN troops have maintained a presence as peacekeepers. Following the last ceasefire after the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, the UNIFIL mission (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) has stationed 10,000 UN soldiers on the border along the so-called Blue Line.

These ‘blue helmets’ are protected by international law. They are instructed not to fire on either Israeli or Lebanese forces, meaning their only recourse is to physically position themselves between belligerents as a deterrent. In recent weeks, Israel has been testing this ‘peaceful’ mandate to destruction.

Standoffs and deliberate shootings

A fortnight ago, Israeli forces entered into a tense standoff with Irish troops stationed at the UN-652 camp southeast of Marun ar Ras, moving tanks menacingly close to the UN position. On 10 October, Israeli troops fired on an Italian UN observation post at Labbouneh, damaging vehicles and cameras, which the IDF later claimed were “feeding intelligence directly to Hezbollah”(!) 

Israel’s invasion of Lebanon has resulted in confrontations with UN soldiers / Image: United Nations Photo, Flickr

The same day, an Israeli tank fired on a UN watchtower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, causing two Indonesian peacekeepers to fall and putting them in hospital. Images of the aftermath show a hole punched through the tower. The following day, an IDF bulldozer knocked over barriers at UN position 1-31 in Labbouneh, allowing tanks to approach; and another watchtower was fired upon at Naqoura, injuring two Sri Lankan troops.

Then on 13 October, IDF tanks forced their way into a UN base in Ramyah, and dropped gas rounds inside the facility that resulted in 15 staffers needing medical treatment for respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. The Israelis have explained away all of these flagrant violations of the UN’s authority as responses to Hezbollah militants, or the result of “retreating under fire.”

Nobody is buying these excuses, least of all UNIFIL, which publicly accused the IDF of deliberately targeting its men. These accusations were echoed by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, who said firing on peacekeepers is “in breach of international law… [and] may constitute a war crime."

The attacks provoked some remarks that come the closest that we have seen to actual condemnation of Israel from leaders in Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron, the Irish army chief, and the Italian Defence Ministry all stated that the IDF’s actions were intentional, with the French and Italian authorities summoning Israel’s ambassadors, demanding an explanation. Macron, as well as the Spanish Prime Minister both suggested Israel’s allies should stop supplying weapons in retaliation for its actions.

The EU issued a statement condemning “all attacks against UN missions”, which stopped short of accusing Israel, and also condemning “Hezbollah’s continued launch of rockets into Israel”. A similarly equivocal memo from the office of British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it is “vital that peacekeepers and civilians are protected", and reiterated London's call for "an immediate cease-fire."

Netanyahu calls UN peacekeepers “human shields” 

Israel responded with its usual deflection and arrogant intransigence. The IDF said that these incidents would be investigated “at the highest levels”, but pointed out it had repeatedly “requested” UNIFIL withdraw five kilometres back from the Blue Line, to keep them “out of harm’s way”. Nevermind that Israel has no authority whatsoever to order UN troops to leave their posts. Later, the IDF brought selected journalists to observe an alleged Hezbollah tunnel close to a UN’s position in a calculated PR move.

On 13 October, Netanyahu made a video address, aimed directly at Guterres, in which he accused UNIFIL of failing in its peacekeeping mission under Mandate 1701, which called for a ceasefire following Israel’s retreat in 2006. “The time has come for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the combat zones,” he said. “The IDF has requested this repeatedly and has met with repeated refusal, which has the effect of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields.”

Netanyahu made a video address, aimed directly at Guterres, in which he accused UNIFIL of failing in its peacekeeping mission / Image: UN Geneva, Flickr

Anyone familiar with Israel’s justifications for attacking civilians in Gaza will recognise these excuses. In English, Netanyahu added: “Mr. Secretary-General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm’s way. It should be done right now, immediately.” He later said on Twitter/X: “Israel will make every effort to prevent Unifil casualties and will do what it takes to win the war” [our emphasis]. 

In this context, the message is clear: “beat it, or something bad could happen to you.”

UNIFIL has so far refused to budge, stating on 15 October that it will “keep all its positions despite calls from the Israeli army for it to vacate the positions near the Blue Line.” All of this is setting the ground for further confrontations. But with UNIFIL officially unable to respond with force to Israeli fire, how long will it be before a peacekeeper is killed?

It would not be the first time. On 25 July during the 2006 war, four unarmed peacekeepers were killed by an Israeli air strike on a UN observation post in southern Lebanon. The IDF blamed the strike on “incorrect identification” of the UN position as an enemy post. This was despite the fact that the post had existed since 1948, was clearly marked with UN livery, and UN staff including Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown contacted the IDF at least 14 times telling them to call off the attack. This is not to mention over 230 UN staff (mostly UNRWA) killed by Israel since 7 October 2023, the deadliest period in the organisation’s history.

Israel’s goal in Lebanon is clearly to intimidate the UN into leaving its positions, so it can continue its brutal operation unimpeded and without international oversight. It is possible that Israel plans to seize evacuated UN strongholds for use as IDF bases, effectively cutting out a swathe of Lebanese territory as a future ‘buffer zone’.

Already, Israel has sent 15,000 troops into Lebanon as part of what it euphemistically described as a “limited ground operation”. 13,000 people have already been either killed or injured on this new front, in addition to a minimum of 150,000 dead or wounded in Gaza. On the same day that Israeli tanks were firing on UN peacekeepers, two Israeli air strikes in Beirut, that came with no warning, killed 22 civilians and injured another 117. Today, an Israeli air strike on the municipal building in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon killed at least six people, including the mayor.

And the savagery in Gaza continues unabated. In the past days, a new Israeli attack on the Al-Aqsa Hospital saw horrifying images circulate on social media of children and patients on IV drips burning to death in their beds. As we write these lines, Israel is beginning a new siege of northern Gaza, where 400,000 people are stranded, cutting off all food and medical aid. The methods being deployed seem to be fully in line with the notorious General’s Plan, which involves the total ethnic cleansing of the north of the Strip.

Israeli impunity

How is Israel able to constantly, flagrantly, get away with all these crimes? Simple: the US backs Israel to the hilt, and US imperialism is the most powerful force in world politics.

Even as US President Joe Biden stated that he would “absolutely, positively” ask Israel to stop firing on UN personnel, the US was moving its advanced THAAD missile defence system into Israel with a complement of troops. US arms sales to Israel remain at a record high. 

All the huffing and puffing of UN member states is so much hot air for as long as the US is prepared to arm and protect its main ally in the region. Threats from second-rate leaders like Macron and Sanchez are rendered meaningless. Netanyahu clearly understands this, and it guides all of his considerations. 

Israel’s shameless disregard for so-called international law is further exposing in the eyes of millions what a sham the so-called rules-based order actually is / Image: Kremlin.ru, Wikimedia Commons

The Americans’ lapdogs in London are loyally following their masters’ command, as can be seen when one compares Starmer’s tepid response to the IDF’s brazen acts of aggression with his hard talk against Iran’s “escalatory” missile attack on Israel (which killed no Israelis). Foreign Secretary David Lammy has just announced a series of new sanctions against Iranian officials and entities. No such sanctions have been levelled against Israel.

Emily Thornberry, from the UK’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, was asked point blank on Channel Four News whether, in light of Israel’s attacks on UN troops, there were any “red lines” for Britain’s political support for Israel. In her waffling response she condemned war crimes “on all sides”… but only managed to actually name Hezbollah and Iran.

All of this plainly illustrates the point we have repeatedly made over the past several years. Niceties like ‘international law’, readily invoked to condemn enemies of ‘western democracy’, are waved aside in a heartbeat when they conflict with the interests of the main imperialist powers: the US chief amongst them. The UN, supposedly the highest body in world relations, is unable to even defend its own personnel against Israel’s rampage, as long as the latter enjoys Washington’s protection.

Israel’s shameless disregard for so-called international law is further exposing in the eyes of millions what a sham the so-called rules-based order actually is. As Israel prepares to plunge the Middle East into a nightmarish regional conflict – with the full backing of their western benefactors – which will wreak havoc on the lives of billions, the imperialists’ hallowed institutions are revealed as a farce.

We cannot say when or how this latest conflict will end, nor how far things could escalate. What can be said with confidence is that neither the UN, nor appeals to international law, can reign in ruthless criminals like Netanyahu. The only guaranteed end to this madness would come from the workers of the world rising up, overthrowing their warmongering ruling classes, and isolating Israel’s war machine. Ultimately, only an international revolutionary struggle against the imperialist capitalist system can end, not only this war, but all wars, once and for all.