UN expert condemns Israeli occupationآ’s renewed attacks on Lebanon

GENEVA, Nov 21 (KUNA) -- A UN expert on Friday condemned Israeli occupationآ’s renewed attacks in Lebanon including the deadly strike on the (Ein el-Hilweh) Palestinian refugee camp and repeated attacks on civilians and United Nations peacekeepers.
In a statement issued from Geneva, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions Morris Tidball-Binz said that this "disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on civilians and civilian objects constitutes war crimes and a violation of the UN Charter." He noted that the Israeli airstrike on (Ein el-Hilweh) which killed at least 14 people including 12 children and injured six others came after near-daily Israeli air and drone strikes across Lebanon since the ceasefire entered into force on November 27, 2024.
According to the statement the UN Human Rights Office has documented the killing of approximately 127 Lebanese civilians and the injury of several others in these operations targeting villages in southern Lebanon.
Tidball-Binz also expressed deep concern over renewed or near-attacks on UN peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) condemning the attacks carried out by Israeli occupation forces on the 26th of October and again this 16th of November which he confirmed constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law.
The UN expert stressed that these attacks amount to international crimes and serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701 and of Lebanonآ’s sovereignty occurring amid Israelآ’s illegal military occupation of five locations and two so-called آ‘buffer zonesآ’ in southern Lebanon and its unilateral continuation of military attacks against Lebanon.
Tidball-Binz called for prompt independent and effective investigations into all alleged unlawful killings resulting from Israeli occupation strikes in Lebanon in particular after the ceasefire in line with the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death (2016).
"Those responsible including those who planned ordered or authorised unlawful strikes must be held to account," he said.
He called on the international community to put pressure on Israeli occupation to fully implement the November 2024 ceasefire, immediately stop further attacks and killings on Lebanese territory and support independent effective investigations and efforts to bring those responsible to justice. (end) imk.rk