Germany demands Israel probe incidents involving UN in Lebanon

BERLIN: Germany on Monday demanded Israel “clarify every incident” involving the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including the reported destruction of a UNIFIL observation tower and fence.

UN peacekeepers on Sunday said an Israeli “army bulldozer deliberately demolished” a UN observation tower and fence in southern Lebanon.

Israel launched ground and air attacks on Lebanon in September, saying it wanted to crush Hezbollah, a powerful political party and armed group.

Berlin voiced “great concern” about the latest in a series of incidents reported by the Blue Helmet force, which have sparked international condemnation.

The German government expects “the Israeli side to clarify every incident” and to release “the results of the investigations into this specific incident”, said foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer.

“The safety of an operation mandated by the United Nations Security Council and its personnel must not be endangered,” she added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz claimed the country and its military have no intention of harming the peacekeepers.