Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said
Sunday the rules for the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon need changing
to protect the Italian troops and other personnel involved in it
amid growing tension between Israel-Hezbollah.
He was speaking after Israel struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
overnight following a deadly rocket attack on the Druze-Israeli
town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.
"I have been asking the United Nations leadership for months to
reflect on the results achieved by the mission and on the need
to change the rules of engagement and redefine a strategy,"
Crosetto said.
"Time has now run out and we are faced with a new emergency that
does not allow time to be wasted.
"The entire international community must implement Security
Council Resolution 1701. It is the only way to prevent a
devastating war also in Lebanon.
"The resolution envisages a strip between the Blue Line and the
Litani River, where there aren't any weapons other than those of
UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
"This has not been the case in recent years. Now we can no
longer pretend nothing has happened," added the minister,
expressing concern "for the safety of Italian and international
personnel involved in the UNIFIL mission".
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