Targeting UN Peacekeepers

[Fredda Weinberg]

This morning, Hezbollah opened small arms fire at a UNIFIL convoy
consisting of two armored personnel carriers (APC) on the road between
Kunin and Bint Jubayl. There was some damage to the APCs, but no
casualties, and the convoy was obliged to return to Kunin.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr09.pdf

One unarmed UN military observer, a member of the Observer Group
Lebanon (OGL), was seriously wounded by small arms fire in the patrol base
in the Marun Al Ras area yesterday afternoon. According to preliminary
reports, the fire originated from the Hezbollah side during an exchange with
the IDF. He was evacuated by the UN to the Israeli side, from where he was
taken by an IDF ambulance helicopter to a hospital in Haifa. He was operated
on, and his condition is now reported as stable.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr08.pdf

And reports of Hezbollah firing from UN positions

Hezbollah firing was also reported from the immediate
vicinity of the UN positions in Naqoura and Maroun Al Ras areas at the time
of the incidents.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr04.pdf

Yesterday, UNIFIL was able to provide a humanitarian escort to 283 villagers from that area to Tyre. During this mission the team came under fire, which endangered the lives of local citizens and UNIFIL troops. Initially, Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of hte village and susequently the IDF fired into village on two occasions.

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr01.pdf

[Cooley Hurd]

1. And this excuses IDF's attack yesterday how?

:shrug:

[CuteNFuzzy]

3. it doesn't

both are just as wrong

[Fredda Weinberg]

7. It lends credibility to the claim that Israel was just responding to

incoming fire, rather than the accusation that UNIFIL troops were deliberately targeted. Look at the press releases from the UN - you see a pattern.

[CuteNFuzzy]

2. despicable

I am against both Israel and Hizballah targeting UN peacekeepers.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Agreed!

Neither side does itself any favors by turning world opinion against them.

[liberalmuse]

17. I hear you!

It's despicable when either side does it. This is the kind of thing terrorists are known to do - target civilians and peace keepers (not that this doesn't make it any worse of a war crime). You don't expect a civilized nation state to do it.

[blonndee]

5. Wrong no matter who does it. And no matter who does or doesn't

feel guilty about it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. The UN observers should NOT be targets

for either side. I don't care who fired on them or when. I'm seriously thinking that both sides have gone mad with hate, and only wish destruction.

[Igel]

8. I want to know why

they continued to bombard where the peacekeepers were for hours? They obviously hadn't hit their target, and continued to fire at their target even after the peacekeepers, their "alleged" target, was hit. Oddly, no motivation seems to be provided by the UN apart from "marked UNIFIL observation post"; Hezbollah's nicely quiet, since they their dog in this fight, it seems, can handle itself.

Also unresolved is why the "precision guided missiles" took so long to hit the bunker, unless they weren't "precision" or "guided". It still sounds like artillery fire.

I remain agnostic.

[Spazito]

9. Gosh, I am glad Israel is not worse than Hezbollah...

they are only doing the same things, whew, good to know.

:sarcasm:

[jsamuel]

16. I... ....

...

:shrug:

[wakeme2008]

10. Nowhere did it say the UN was targeted

Better try next time

[Fredda Weinberg]

12. Look at the first excerpt

Next time, try keeping an open mind.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. OMFG

Open mind? :rofl:

[burythehatchet]

15. That is, indeed, the best laugh of the day

:rofl:

[wakeme2008]

18. You forgot the sentence above it

"There were six other incidents of firing close to UN
positions from the Israeli side during the past 24 hours."

And I still do not see targeted.... better luck next time.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Laughable

The incapacity of Israel's backers in this mess to take responsibility for anything is truly astounding. Continue to defend the indefensible. It only redounds to your credibility.

[blonndee]

13. Much less to feel any sympathy or guilt about it, right?

Disgusting indeed. Most sane people can express regret for and condemn bad acts no matter who does them.