The dilemma of the blue helmets in southern Lebanon international

The commanders of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force for Lebanon, for its acronym in English) have received with surprise the Israeli military’s pretext for repeatedly attacking the Blue Helmets deployed in the south of the country, so far on balance. About twenty people were injured, as Hezbollah uses them as “human shields”. “That’s a lie,” a high-ranking Spanish military officer replied in non-diplomatic terms. “In any case,” he adds, “it will be the other way around.” This refers to the fact that, in the first week of October, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) placed battle tanks and armor next to Position 6-52 of the UN Mission, in charge of the Irish contingent. Israeli troops withdrew only when, through normal channels, the UN mission warned that they were targeting the Blue Helmets for possible retaliation by Lebanese militias. It happened next to the village of Maroun al Ras, where Israeli soldiers had raised a Star of David flag over the ruins of an Iranian-sponsored park.

Military experts are considering two hypotheses to explain Israel’s “repeated and deliberate” attacks against UN peacekeepers, a force of 10,500 troops from fifty countries whose commander-in-chief until February next year is Spanish Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro. The first is that he wants to force the blue helmets to withdraw, so that there will be no witnesses to their actions. On September 30, on the eve of the ground invasion of Lebanon, the IDF urged UN forces to evacuate their observation posts along the Blue Line, which separates the two countries, with the warning that they would use force against Hezbollah. Were going to be an area of ​​operation. And could not guarantee their safety.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, head of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, categorically rejected Israel’s subpoena, following General Lazaro’s recommendations. Withdrawal means not only to stop receiving direct information about what was happening in one of the hottest regions of the world, but also to lose positions that will be very difficult to recover in the future. What UNIFIL headquarters did was reduce the personnel in those positions to a minimum, because their activity was drastically reduced when patrols were cancelled, and maximum security measures were adopted. Civilian personnel working for UNIFIL, about 800 people, have also been evacuated to Beirut.

This Sunday, Israeli Merkava tanks forcibly broke into the UN post in Ramya, in the sector of Italian responsibility, and fifteen blue helmets were poisoned by smoke projectiles, while on Saturday a convoy was attacked near the Marjayoun base “of essential importance. K”‘s logistics were blocked. Spanish Brigade. In a televised message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, to withdraw the blue helmets from Hezbollah holdings and war zones “right now, immediately”, arguing that they have become “hostages”. . Of Shia group.

Military sources point to another explanation for the Israeli attacks, which is consistent with previous attacks. The Israeli military has resorted to reserve soldiers to support forces deployed in Lebanon and they suffer from a clear lack of professionalism. Worse: its command staff is exhausted by the intervention in Gaza, which has now lasted a year, and, above all, has become accustomed to acting with complete impunity.

rules of war

The same sources explain that the rules of engagement used by Israeli forces in the Strip are based on two principles: the mission must be accomplished regardless of collateral damage, and the life of one Israeli soldier is more valuable than that of 100 Palestinian civilians. , This explains the excessive death toll of more than 42,000 in Gaza, despite the use of advanced technology and artificial intelligence. In Lebanon, on the other hand, Israeli forces cannot act indiscriminately, but are obliged to distinguish between Hezbollah militiamen, members of the Lebanese Armed Forces, and UN troops, protected by international law. In theory, they can’t shoot first and ask questions later. ,

In fact, those whose hands are tied are United Nations soldiers. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, whose country has 870 troops in Lebanon, wondered last week whether the Blue Cases should respond to Israeli attacks and engage in war with the IDF. It was a rhetorical question and a “provocation”, as he himself admitted, but it may not be that far-fetched.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 calls on UNIFIL to “take all measures necessary and deemed within its capabilities” for “the protection of United Nations personnel, services, facilities and equipment” as well as “the security and movement of United Nations personnel” Authorizes to ensure the “freedom of humanitarian workers”. And furthermore, it urges the mission “without prejudice to the responsibility of the Government of Lebanon to protect civilians who are in imminent danger of being victims of physical violence.”

UNIFIL’s capabilities and the will of the countries contributing troops to it are far from sufficient to contemplate its entry into the war. The mission was launched on the basis that there was a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that was being verified. The role of the Blue Helmets was envisioned as an auxiliary company to the Lebanese Armed Forces, to support their deployment in the south of the country. When UNIFIL members suspect the presence of a Hezbollah facility in their area, they notify the Lebanese Army to search for it. And these may or may not come; Most of the time, no.

UNIFIL’s role has so far been limited to monitoring non-compliance with the ceasefire, being a mere notary of reality. However, the Lebanese Armed Forces have withdrawn from the south, the ceasefire they came to verify has been blown up, and Israel’s attacks have turned the blue helmets into unwitting heroes of the war. Before Christmas, several UN parties, including the Spanish, should be relieved. According to military sources, it is impossible to do something like this under the current circumstances. It will be time to consider whether it should be continued and on what conditions.