Israeli attacks on UNIFIL are 'completely unacceptable,' Borrell says echoing EU ire

The Israeli government has accused UNIFIL of acting as a "human shield" for Hezbollah and demanded its immediate removal from southern Lebanon.

Transcript

00:00The EU's top foreign policy boss has criticized Israel over its recent attacks on UN peacekeeping

00:06troops in Lebanon.

00:07Josep Borrell's remarks echo the strongest condemnation voiced across the bloc regarding

00:12the Middle East.

00:13Speaking to reporters in Luxembourg, he said EU member states agreed to a statement demanding

00:17Israel stop attacking UNIFIL.

00:20It's completely unacceptable attacking United Nations troops.

00:26And I want to remind everybody that it's not the Secretary General of the United Nations

00:31who decides about this mission staying or not staying.

00:36It's the Security Council who has to take these kind of decisions.

00:41So stop blaming Secretary Guterres.

00:45Israeli troops forced their way into one of UNIFIL's bases in Lebanon over the weekend,

00:49destroying the main gate and injuring at least 15 soldiers.

00:53Borrell's criticism was echoed by Dutch officials.

00:55Yeah, I've called the Israeli foreign minister, Yisrael Katz, yesterday and I have expressed

01:01that this is unacceptable and this should stop and it should be investigated as soon

01:05as possible.

01:07The IDF has also indicated that it would investigate itself these shootings and incidents.

01:16This has to stop.

01:17The incident took place after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the UN

01:22peacekeeping mission of providing Hezbollah terrorists with human shields.