EU chief Borrell demands quicker condemnations to Israeli 'attacks' on UNIFIL

By REUTERS

Published: OCTOBER 14, 2024 10:13

Updated: OCTOBER 14, 2024 10:28

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell attends a press conference on the day of EU-Ukraine Association Council in Brussels, Belgium March 20, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/YVES HERMAN) — European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell attends a press conference on the day of EU-Ukraine Association Council in Brussels, Belgium March 20, 2024.

(photo credit: REUTERS/YVES HERMAN)

"We should be against Israeli attacks against UNIFIL. Our soldiers are there, many soldiers are there," said Borrell, speaking at an EU ministerial meeting in Luxembourg.

The European Union condemns all attacks against United Nations missions, the union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a response to targeting of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, by the Israel Defence Forces.

"Such attacks against UN peacekeepers constitute a grave violation of international law and are totally unacceptable. These attacks must stop immediately," Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the EU published Sunday night.

"The EU condemns all attacks against UN missions," Borrell said.

Demanding condemnations of Israel

The European Union's member states have taken too long to condemn Israel's attacks on UNIFIL soldiers in Lebanon, the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday, describing the attacks as "completely unacceptable."

UNIFIL PEACEKEEPERS look out at the Lebanese-Israeli border, from the roof of a watchtower ‏in the town of Marwahin, in southern Lebanon, on Saturday. Never was an organization less interim than UNIFIL, the writer quips. (credit: THAIER AL-SUDANI/REUTERS)

"We should be against Israeli attacks against UNIFIL. Our soldiers are there, many soldiers are there," added Borrell, speaking at an EU ministerial meeting in Luxembourg.

EU countries, led by Italy, France and Spain, have thousands of troops in the 10,000-strong peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, which has said it has repeatedly come under attack from Israeli forces in recent days. Israel has called on the United Nations to move the troops out of the combat zone.