Beirut: Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Tuesday condemned “any attack targeting a UN interim force in Lebanon” after UNIFIL soldiers were injured during violence.
At a meeting on Wednesday, Aun informed Joanna Vroneka, the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, that the government had launched an investigation into the southern attack west of the village of Ramyeh. He resolved to establish who was responsible.
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti said Tuesday night that the cars of several peacekeepers on regular patrol were attacked after they were intercepted. A soldier was injured in this incident.
He added that “the attackers ransacked two vehicles and stole several items,” adding that “Lebanese armed forces were present at the scene and managed to defuse the situation.”
Tennti insisted that “peacekeepers were not in private properties, but on a public road they usually visited.”
They said they were doing their job, implementing Decision No. 1701 and maintaining stability in South Lebanon.
Tennti warned in a statement that “attacks on men and women working for peace are considered a crime in accordance with Lebanese and international law.”
He called on the Lebanese authorities to “investigate the incident and prosecute those responsible”.
UNIFIL patrols have been the target of two other recent attacks. Troops were targeted at the border village of Chakra late last year and at Bint Jebil village earlier this month.
The area where the attacks took place is considered important to Hezbollah because it is adjacent to the border, where several important Israeli military bases are found on the other side.
The latest attack on the UNIFIL patrol came as Lebanese officials discussed messages delivered to Lebanon by Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah in the name of Kuwait, the Arab and Gulf family and the international community. Last week.
The minister sent a message of sympathy, solidarity, rapport and love to the people of Lebanon, urging the Lebanese authorities to adopt a position of neutrality and ensure that the country “will not be a stage for any aggression, while refraining from interfering.” the internal affairs of the Arab countries in general and the Gulf countries in particular.”
Al-Sabah reaffirmed a regional desire “to see a stable, secure and strong Lebanon by implementing international and Arab proposals.”
Kuwait is expected to receive a response through Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib during his visit to Kuwait next Saturday.
While Hezbollah has not responded to the Kuwaiti initiative, some political observers saw the attack on the UNIFIL patrol as an indirect demonstration of Hezbollah’s objection.
However, a source who acts as a link between UNIFIL, the villagers, and Hezbollah, told Arab News: “The attack that took place has nothing to do with a political or security message.”
He added: “The patrol party that was attacked is affiliated with a Ghanaian force participating in UNIFIL.
“It appears that while he was using a public road, one of his cars, intentionally or unintentionally, collided with the water tank of a farmer, who had used it to water his plants.
“The patrol did not stop, but went on without noticing that it collided with the tank. The tank’s owner, joined by several villagers who usually stand side by side in the village, chases and attacks the patrol. this is what happened.”
The source, who requested anonymity, said the previous two attacks were different. “One of them happened because some UNIFIL soldiers were taking pictures in inner alleyways, while the other happened because they had entered some private properties and it is not allowed as per decision no. 1701.”
The source added that “the attack does not match any of Hezbollah’s position regarding the Kuwaiti initiative.
“If Hezbollah wishes to object to the Kuwaiti initiative which in its essence targets the country’s management, an attack on the Ghanaian military will not be a response.”
The development coincided with Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz’s announcement that “border talks with Lebanon on US-mediated maritime demarcation, conducted by UNIFIL at its headquarters in Nakoura, will resume next week.”
Lebanon has been awaiting the return of Amos Hochstein, the US mediator in the region since late last year, with new proposals to resume talks on the demarcation of maritime borders between Lebanon and Israel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced during his visit to Lebanon late last year that “nations are ready to sponsor these negotiations.”
Meanwhile, Lebanon signed deals on Wednesday to buy power from Jordan through Syria to help the country deal with its dire energy crisis.
Electricity will be transmitted through Syria. The deal expects Lebanon to get 250 megawatts of electricity a day within two months, enough to power about two hours a day.
The World Bank is expected to finance the deals, negotiations are underway.
Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayyad said he expected financing talks to end within two months.