UNITED NATIONS, July 26: Israel kept up attacks on the UN post in Lebanon where four observers were killed despite high-level protests, and more shells fell close to UN positions on Wednesday, a top UN official told the Security Council.
The Khiam base used by the military observers had come under attack for six hours before the direct hit on Tuesday that killed the Austrian, Canadian, Chinese and Finnish observers, said Jane Holl Lute, assistant UN secretary general for peacekeeping operations.
Ms Lute said protests were made to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and she and Deputy UN Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown had called the Israeli mission to the United Nations to urge an end to the assault.
Before communications with the base were lost, the mission had reported 21 strikes within 300 metres, and 12 artillery rounds fell within 100 metres — four of which hit the base directly, Ms Lute said.
“Throughout the day, UNIFIL had protested directly to the IDF each of these incidents of firing close to patrol base Khiam,” Ms Lute told the council, according to a transcript released after the closed briefing.
The UN official added that she and Malloch Brown had telephoned Israel’s UN mission, ‘reiterating these protests and calling for an abatement of the shelling’.
“Two final firings close were reported before communications with the position were lost.”
“Firing continued during the rescue operation, despite repeated requests to the IDF for an abatement,” Ms Lute said.
FIRING CONTINUES: Ms Lute told the Security Council ambassadors that ‘incidents of firing close to UNIFIL positions continue this morning’ (Wednesday).
“An artillery round impacted approximately 10 metres” from a headquarters compound in Naqura, southern Lebanon, she said. “Both UNIFIL and this headquarters have registered protests with the Israeli authorities.”
Ms Lute said the shelling of the Khiam base started at about 1.20pm local time on Tuesday, and communications with the base were lost at 7.17pm.
UNIFIL then negotiated a safe passage with Israel for two armoured personnel carriers carrying Indian troops who were sent on a rescue mission.
They only arrived at 9.30pm ‘and found the shelter collapsed and major damage to the rest of the position’, said Ms Lute.
The Indians were fired on as they struggled in the rubble.—Reuters
