Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Tension high between UNIFIL, Israel


UN forces in southern Lebanon have been on high alert after Israeli troops prevent UNIFIL peacekeepers from repairing a border fence.

Contributed by Lucia in Spain

"The tension was sparked Wednesday afternoon, when a group of Spanish peacekeepers were repairing the barbed wire fence near the village of Ghajar in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops shot two Lebanese men on Sunday.

An Israeli patrol approached the UN troops and asked them to stop their work and leave the area, the Press TV correspondent reported.

After facing the UN peacekeepers' refusal, the Israeli troops threatened that they would open fire on them if they did not leave the area.

The two sides then took up positions and the commander of the UNIFIL unit ordered his troops to open fire on the Israeli troops if they began shooting.

The UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) also deployed French troops to the region in preparation for a military clash with Israel, the report added.

The UNIFIL Command in Naqura has reportedly contacted Israeli officials and urged them to stop 'provocative acts' against UN peacekeepers."

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