Thread: Secretary-general Shocked By Coordinated Israeli Attack On United Nations

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.as...&Cr=leban&Cr1=

Annan ‘shocked’ by Israeli attack on UN Lebanon post that killed at least 2


25 July 2006 – Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed shock and deep distress over what he called the “apparently deliberate targeting” by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) of a United Nations observer post in southern Lebanon that has killed two military observers, with two more feared dead.

“I call on the Government of Israel to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on UN positions and personnel must stop,” Mr. Annan after hearing of the attack on the post of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Rome, where he arrived today for talks on the explosion of violence in the Middle Eastern country.

In his statement, Mr. Annan said that the “coordinated artillery and air attack” occurred despite personal assurances given to him by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that UN positions would be spared fire. The Secretary-General said the post, near the Lebanese town of Khiyam, was “long established and clearly marked.”

In addition, he said the UN Force Commander in south Lebanon, General Alain Pelligrini, had been in repeated contact with Israeli officers throughout the day, stressing the need to protect this particular UN position from attack. At least 14 incidents of firing close to that post have been reported since this afternoon. A UN spokesman added that the firing continued while a search and rescue operation was taking place.

Mr. Annan said that the names and nationalities of the fallen peacekeepers were being withheld pending notification of their families, to whom he extended his condolences.

With UNIFIL positions hit frequently since the current crisis began, four members of the mission’s Ghanaian battalion were lightly injured yesterday evening when a tank round from the Israeli side hit inside their position, while this morning, Hezbollah opened small arms fire at one of their convoys, causing some damage but no casualties, according to a press statement.

Hours before the UN military observers were killed, the Security Council discussed the beleaguered mission’s future.

The 15-member body met with the countries that contribute troops to UNIFIL before holding consultations that included a briefing by the Director of the Asia and Middle East Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, as well as discussing Mr. Annan’s latest report on the Force, a UN spokesman told reporters.

In his report, released yesterday, Mr. Annan said the upsurge in violence since 12 July had “radically changed the context” in which UNIFIL operates and he recommended its mandate be increased only for another month while all possible options for southern Lebanon are worked out.

Before the recent violence, the Lebanese Government had called for a six-month extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, but Mr. Annan wrote that the “circumstances conducive to United Nations peacekeeping do not exist.”

Annan: IAF hit 'apparently deliberate'

ap and jpost.com staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Jul. 26, 2006


An Israeli bomb destroyed a UN observer post on the border in southern Lebanon, killing two peacekeepers with two others feared dead under the rubble. UN chief Kofi Annan said Israel appeared to have struck the site deliberately.

Israel's UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman expressed his "deep regret" for the deaths and denied Isarel hit the post intentionally.

"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the hasty statement of the secretary-general, insinuating that Israel has deliberately targeted the UN post," he said, calling the assertions "premature and erroneous."

The IDF said in response that it deeply regretted the "tragic death" of the UN personnel and vowed to investigate the incident.

The bomb made a direct hit on the building and shelter of the observer post in the town of Khiyam near the eastern end of the border with Israel, said Milos Struger, spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL.

Rescue workers were trying to clear the rubble, but Israeli firing "continued even during the rescue operation," Struger said.

Annan said two UN military observers were killed with two more feared dead. The victims included observers from Austria, a Canada, China and Finland, UN and Lebanese military officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information to the media. It was not immediately known which were confirmed dead.

As reports of the attack emerged, Annan rushed out of a hotel in Rome following a dinner with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

"I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces of a UN Observer post in southern Lebanon," Annan said in a statement later.

Annan said in his statement that the post had been there for a long time and was marked clearly, and was hit despite assurances from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that UN positions would not be attacked.

"I call on the goverment of Israel to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on UN positions and personnel must stop," Annan said in the statement.

Gillerman said "Israel is carrying out a thorough inquiry into this tragic incident and will inform the UN of its results as soon as possible."

US Ambassador John Bolton said the Security Council was informed that four officers were killed, but he had no other information.

"We're obviously very sorry about that. We're attempting to get information where we can to confirm the nature of the incident," Bolton said.

Since Israel launched a massive military offensive against Lebanon and Hezbollah guerrillas July 12, an international civilian employee working with UNIFIL and his wife have been killed in the crossfire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas in the southern port city of Tyre.

Five UNIFIL soldiers and one military observer have also been wounded, Struger said.



http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...icle%2FPrinter

Firstly my condolences to those from whose countries these soldiers came.
Secondly

Before the recent violence, the Lebanese Government had called for a six-month extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, but Mr. Annan wrote that the “circumstances conducive to United Nations peacekeeping do not exist.”

If that's what the mthfckr thought, what were the observers still doing there?

To do the job that he won't allow them to do.

Originally Posted by parihaka

my condolences to those from whose countries these soldiers came.

And mine as well.

Originally Posted by troung

statement by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was issued today in Rome:

I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defense Forces of a United Nations observer post in southern

When I first saw that bit I thought, "well, at least now I'm sure it was an accident".