The UN peacekeepers in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been deliberately attacked in some cases by Israeli forces, the head of the organization’s peacekeepers, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has just told us.

UNIFIL forces have faced a series of Israeli attacks on their peacekeepers this month, and the Israeli government is demanding that they abandon their positions in southern Lebanon.

speaking in The world with Yalda Hakim“In some cases we have seen clear signs of deliberate attacks,” Lacroix said.

“But I wouldn’t say that all the attacks or all the incidents were deliberate,” he added.

“In some cases we still have to investigate.”

Earlier today, Austria’s Defense Ministry said eight of its soldiers belonging to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon were injured in a rocket attack in Naqoura, a city in southern Lebanon.

“In some of the cases, we have no firm elements that absolutely point to deliberate attacks,” Lacroix said.

“In some of the cases, yes, we have those elements. I mean, recently, like a little less than a week ago, there was a UNIFIL observation post, which was destroyed by an IDF bulldozer.

“And we have video. I mean, it was obviously a deliberate attack.”

UNRWA ban ‘extremely worrying’

Lacroix also described Israel’s ban on the UN aid agency UNRWA as “extremely worrying” as the group is “absolutely essential” in bringing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian populations.

Yesterday’s parliament decision is expected to severely restrict the aid group’s work in Gaza and the West Bank, where access is controlled by Israel.

“So essentially banning UNRWA, preventing UNRWA from operating and providing humanitarian assistance to these populations, particularly at this time, is really extremely concerning,” he said.