Pope calls for UN peacekeepers to be respected

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 13 - Pope Francis on Sunday called for United Nations peacekeepers to be respected after the headquarters of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon and two of its Italian bases were hit by fire from Israeli forces this week.
    Five peacekeepers have been injured as Israel fights Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
    Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto this week summoned the Israeli ambassador over the attacks on UNIFIL, which Italy contributes around 1,000 troops to.
    "I continue to follow what is happening in the Middle East with concern and I call once again for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts," Francis said during his Angelus address.
    "Let the paths of diplomacy and dialogue be pursued to achieve peace.
    "I am close to all the populations involved, Palestine, Israel and Lebanon, where I ask that the United Nations peacekeeping forces be respected".
    Israel's defence minister said Sunday that Defence Minister Yoav Gallant promised his United States counterpart Lloyd Austin that measures would be taken to avoid harm to UNIFIL troops.
    But later in the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres via a video statement to move UNIFIL away from Hezbollah's "strongholds and combat areas".
    "The IDF has repeatedly asked for this, and has repeatedly been refused," he continued, saying this made them "a human shield for Hezbollah.
    "Your refusal to evacuate the soldiers makes them hostages of Hezbollah," he said.
    "This endangers their lives and those of our soldiers. We regret the injury suffered by the UNIFIL soldiers, we do everything to prevent these accidents", UNIFIL, has accused Israel of deliberately firing at it.
    On Saturday 40 States that contribute to the mission, including Italy, condemned the attacks, saying "such actions must stop immediately and should be adequately investigated". (ANSA).