UN Peace Mission In Peril

The recent attack by Israel on the base camp of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has sparked international concern about the worsening situation of instability in West Asia. On 10 October, an Israeli tank opened fire at the gate of UNIFIL Base camp at Naqoura in southern Lebanon injuring two Indonesian soldiers and damaging the infrastructure of the mission. This irresponsible action by Israel has come under condemnation from the UN and almost all the troop contributing countries including Nepal which has 877 soldiers serving under UNIFIL.  

According to media reports, the attack on the UN base camp was not an accidental event. The attackers had also targeted the surveillance camera and communication equipment of the mission to undermine its authority and challenge its jurisdiction. It was also a deliberate act of violating the Charter of the United Nations by challenging the sanctity of peacekeeping operations being carried out by the UN in various conflict hotspots of world. 

This incident not only highlights the Israel-Hamas conflict escalating to a new level, it also signals the diminishing authority and oversight capability of the UN. The world body has come under increasing attack from Israel for its opposition to indiscriminate bombing at civilian targets in Gaza and southern Lebanon. During the last one year, Israel has razed the Gaza region to the ground, killing over 42 thousand people, the overwhelming majority of whom have been women and children. In Lebanon, the intensive Israeli bombing has killed 1000 during the last three weeks, according to Lebanese health ministry. In response, Hezbollah and Hamas have also launched rocket and missile attack on Israeli cities causing considerable damage to its infrastructure and loss of life.

Dialogue 

The UN has advocated for peace and resolution of conflict through dialogue. Following Israeli attack on the Gaza region, it organised a relief operation to help the displaced civilians of the Gaza area to rebuild their lives. However, the Israeli defense forces (IDF) disrupted these efforts by detaining or even killing volunteers, accusing them of collaborating with Hamas militants. Israel also criticised the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugee (UNRWA) and lodged objection at the UN. However, the UN Secretary General firmly defended the UN volunteers and urged Israel to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas. 

The similar pattern in Israeli attack on UNRWA and UNIFIL shows that the attack on the UNIFIL base camp in Lebanon was only a culmination of growing tension between Israel and the UN. As the peace loving countries of the world demand explanation and accountability for the incident, Israel has accused UNIFIL of shielding Hezbollah fighters allowing them to use its facilities, a claim which the UN has firmly refuted.

In three weeks, Israel has brought unprecedented devastation in Lebanon through indiscriminate bombing and artillery fire destroying infrastructures and putting unarmed civilians in harm's way. Israel had started its ground operation in Lebanon purportedly to neutralise Hezbollah's military capability. The focus, however, appears more on targeted assassination of Hezbollah leaders at a huge cost of civilian casualty, rather than targeting its military installations. The assassination of Sayyde Hassan Nasrallah in a deadly bombing vindicates this. It is said that Nasrallah was a key figure in shaping Hezbollah's political and military strategy against Israel.  

Since the murder of Nasrallah, the conflict has reached a new turning point with both sides making increasingly lethal attacks against each other. In this ever intensifying conflict, civilian casualty is overshadowing military objective. According to UNICEF, more than 400,000 children have been displaced and 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes in southern Lebanon during the past three weeks. The demographic impact of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah/Hamas has drawn the global attention. A UNICEF deputy director has even warned of a "lost generation" as a result of the violence.

The attack on UN peacekeepers is not new in Lebanon. Several peacekeepers were killed during Israel air strike during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war also. There are instances of UN convoys coming under attack at other missions also. But instead of admitting mistake for attacking the premises of the UNIFIL, Israel has demanded that the UN peacekeeping mission move out of the "harm's way". Expectedly, Secretary General Antonio Gueterres has categorically refused Israel's demand saying that "peacekeepers will remain in all their positions". 

As Israel fights a multi-front battle in support of the United States, the 15-member UN Security Council stands divided over the escalation of civilian casualty in the conflict. In its resolution the Security Council has expressed its "deep concern" at the civilian casualty, destruction of infrastructure and most importantly, the attack on the premises of UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Arrest warrants

In recent months, the ICJ has issued a provisional order requiring Israel to halt military action that could harm civilians, invoking the Genocide Convention. Additionally, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan has also issued arrest warrants against both Israeli and Hamas leaders. In response to the UN's demand for accountability, Israel has reacted angrily, criticising the world body and declaring Secretary General Gueterres persona non grata (PNG). This kind of tit-for-tat approach appears to be escalating the triangular conflict between Israel- Hamas and Hezbollah to a wider regional war.

Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas are now on a perilous path of conflict, disregarding the international law, the UN Mandates and global public opinion. The current escalation and the resultant loss of life of innocent civilians have put Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah on a trial in the court of history. It is hoped that the historical reality will compel the belligerents to learn from the past and recognise that no war can be won on the battlefield. Dialogue is the only way that leads us to peace. Seeking common ground and pursuing mutually beneficial solution is necessary for paving the way to a future free of unending cycle of violence and wars.

(Dr. Bharadwaj is former ambassador and former chairperson of Gorkhapatra Corporation. bharadwajnarad@gmai.com.)