Israeli troops opened fire on a UNIFIL peacekeeper patrol in southern Lebanon near Rmeish on Saturday. The patrol was already scheduled, so Israel was informed that UNIFIL peacekeepers would be in the area at the time, suggesting this was not a case of mistaken identity.
A separate incident of Israeli troops confronting UNIFIL peacekeepers inside Lebanon was also reported, with the Israelis pointing laser sights at the UNIFIL personnel but not actually opening fire on them this time. No injuries were reported in either incident, and some but not all media reports are terming the gunfire “warning shots.”
Adding to the controversy here, the UNIFIL peacekeepers were reportedly French. During the patrol they were inspecting one of the dirt mounds Israeli troops had set up near Rmeish during the invasion and occupation. Israel has been discovered hiding spying devices around those Lebanese villages in the past, so this was likely what they were investigating.
Israel shooting at UN personnel during a ceasefire is problematic enough, but France is one of the guarantors of that ceasefire, so attacking their troops is likely an even bigger deal. This is especially true since Israel attacked the Lebanese capital city of Beirut over the weekend, and French President Emmanuel Macron criticized that attack, giving this the appearance of potential payback.
Macron termed the attack an “unacceptable ceasefire violation.” This is noteworthy because well over 1,000 Israeli violations have been documented, many involving airstrikes, and this is the first time one of nations meant to oversee the ceasefire has spoken up about it. Macron said he intends to bring the matter up with President Trump, as the US is the other overseer of the ceasefire, though there is as yet no indication that this has happened or that the US is saying anything about the bombings.
During the Lebanon invasion, Israeli forces attacked UNIFIL personnel and destroyed UNIFIL facilities multiple times. Macron was critical of this as well, even though they weren’t specifically French peacekeepers in those cases.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited Paris over the weekend as well, taking up the matter of constant Israeli attacks with French officials. Israel has complained about Aoun’s visit, accusing him of attempting to influence the ceasefire’s implementation.
