April 9 (Reuters) – Dozens of states issued a joint statement at the United Nations on Thursday condemning “unacceptable aggressive behavior” toward U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon and calling for increased protections after the deaths there of three Indonesian soldiers.
The 63 countries and the European Union also expressed “deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, especially the significant civilian casualties, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the mass displacement of more than one million people.”
The statement was read by Indonesia’s U.N. ambassador Umar Hadi, accompanied by dozens of envoys from countries that endorsed it. It noted that attacks on peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law and those responsible must be held accountable.
While reaffirming their full support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the countries urged the U.N. and its Security Council “to strengthen the protection of U.N. peacekeepers in an increasingly dangerous environment.”
The statement called on all parties to return to negotiations and reiterated “strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Lebanon.”
Hadi said there were indications that more countries would sign the statement. Israel, Lebanon and the U.S. were not among those he read out.
On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned massive strikes by Israel across Lebanon that day that the U.N. said had resulted in hundreds of civilians being killed and injured.
The U.N. said on Tuesday that preliminary findings from its probe into the deaths of the three Indonesian peacekeepers in separate incidents on March 29 and 30 showed that one was killed by an Israeli tank projectile and two by an improvised explosive device most likely placed by Hezbollah.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by David Gregorio)
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