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.
The reaction of the world to this? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
A provocation no doubt. If only Macron had some guts!
Don't the French know that they're just a bunch of Canaanites and the Israelis are Solomon's army? God is always on their side.
Palestinians are the only true Hebrews, all the rest are converts (descendants of antique converts but not Canaanites).
You know that I'm joking. The French are no more Canaanites than the Israelis are Hebrews.
AND Shebrews ! Trump may be eviscerating DEI but that doesn't mean we have to exclude women.
Yes, and they are saying this now as we speak because the world is silent to all the killings. It means god is on their side or is stopping the world to interfere.
Are the ZioNazis loosing it? become intoxicate with pure killing? France, a friend, isn't even in the middle-east.
They are not losing it they think it is God's plan. Listen to Huckabee sometimes and other Evangelicals.
… God’s plan to kill French peacekeepers in Lebanon??
I have known these times would be happening, since I was a young woman… yet, here we are, face to face, with what seems to be our destiny…. Can the Lords plan be changed or altered???….!!!….. ….
The Evangelicals believe they are fulfilling God's plan. The Old Testament is full of killing and rewards for those who kill.
They actually believe that god is on their side now because Bibi and the US are killing so many "enemies" adn god is stopping anyone else to intervene.
Tuco: God is on our side because he hates the Yanks.
Man With No Name: God is not on our side because he hates idiots also.
"Can the Lords plan be changed or altered?"
This is and remains an interesting question in theology. Particularly because, if the answer is "yes", that suggests a god that is not all-knowing and can have its mind swayed by reason or petition.
On the OTHER hand, if the answer is "no", then everything everywhere is exactly the way the god intended it (like childhood cancers and natural disasters killing multitudes), AND prayer becomes completely worthless because the outcome is predetermined. And the god is not all-powerful and able to alter its own plan.
"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."
"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."
I mean COME ON, this is basically the same script at the USS Liberty Incident ! A known and flagged US ship / UNIFIL patrol doing intel/counter-intel investigating…