France and Italy plan to hold a meeting of the European countries contributing to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), after an Israeli force was accused of firing on its headquarters in South Lebanon, according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces.
A video conference meeting, decided during a meeting between French Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto, will be held next week on a date that has yet to be specified. Alongside France and Italy, Spain and Ireland also contribute to UNIFIL as European member states.
On Thursday, Crosetto said the “shooting” at the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon is “intolerable.”
Two peacekeepers were injured as a result of the shooting, causing concern in Italy, which is the largest Western contributor to UNIFIL in terms of personnel.
“These incidents are unacceptable and must be carefully and resolutely avoided,” Crosetto said in a statement.
The minister, who summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome in the aftermath of the incident, called for promoting de-escalation in South Lebanon and the restoration of international law, according to an Italian Defense Ministry statement.
The UN peacekeeping mission is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel -- an area that has seen serious clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah.
