ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “Unfortunately the appeal launched by the President of the Italian Council and other international leaders had no positive response as regards Lebanon. Today there has been the highest and most violent Israeli bombing since the resumption of the war, in particular in Beirut and Sidon shooting, count tens of victims among civilians, an Italian column of the Unifil that brought food to Beirut and Sidon, has been attacked, Israeli warning shots have damaged our own military vehicle, fortunately no wounded, but the column has had to return.” The Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said this, answering the question time at the Chamber. “Just out of this court I will ask the ambassador of Israel in Italy, what happened, which led to the damage of an Italian military vehicle,” added Tajani, “to reiterate that the Italian soldiers in Lebanon do not touch, the Israeli armed forces have no authority to touch the military.”.
CROSETTO “INDIGNAZIONE PER QUANTO ACCADUTO”
“I express my firmest and indignant protest for what happened this morning in the field of UNIFIL responsibilities in southern Lebanon. A logistic convoy of the Italian contingent, moving from Shama to Beirut, was made subject to warning blows exploded from the IDF about two kilometers from the base of departure. Following the episode, the column immediately interrupted the movement and returned to base. Only slight damage to vehicles is not injured, but until? It is unacceptable that Italian soldiers engaged under the United Nations flag, with exclusively tasks of guaranteeing peace and stability, are exposed to risk situations by the Israeli army.” So the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto.
“ UNIFIL staff work in Lebanon in implementing UN resolutions to help security and de-escalation. The danger of convoys clearly identified with the UN flag cannot be tolerated. This is a serious behaviour which is likely to jeopardize peacekeeper security and the same credibility as the mission. I ask the United Nations to intervene with the Israeli authorities with the utmost urgency to clarify the incident, to take all the measures necessary to ensure the safety of the Italian contingent and of all UNIFIL staff, and to firmly reiterate the respect of the mandate and protection due to blue helmets. Italy will continue to support the mission of peace, but it demands full respect for the role of UNIFIL and the protection of its soldiers. Episodes like this are intolerable and should not repeat themselves” he concludes.
AMBASCIATORE ISRAELIANO CONVOCATO ALLA FARNESINA
The ambassador of Israel in Italy was summoned at 7.30 p.m. to the Farnesina at the request of the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani after the incident today in Lebanon: a convoy of Italian means of the Onu Unifil mission was targeted by Idf units (Israeli Defense Forces). It is what is learned from sources of the Farnesina.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
