The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon shot down an Israeli military drone this week, prompting Israeli criticism that the act violated the force’s mandate and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
The incident occurred Sunday when a UNIFIL patrol identified an IDF drone near the Lebanese village of Kila, close to the border. The peacekeepers opened fire and brought it down. A short time later, an explosion occurred near the UN force. No injuries or damage were reported.
IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee said Monday that UNIFIL troops had shot down the drone even though it did not pose a threat. He added that after the drone was hit, Israeli troops threw a hand grenade toward the area but did not fire at the UN personnel.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix later sent a letter to Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, acknowledging that UNIFIL was responsible for the incident. In the letter, Lacroix wrote that the peacekeepers had acted “proportionally,” effectively admitting that they had taken military action against an Israeli asset.
Israel said the downing of the drone breached Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, and exceeded UNIFIL’s authority.
“The very fact that UNIFIL has taken responsibility for downing an IDF drone is an admission of violating the mandate granted by the Security Council and breaching the cease-fire agreement,” Danon said.
Danon added that UNIFIL was established to oversee Hezbollah’s disarmament and prevent attacks on Israel but had long since stopped fulfilling its purpose. “UNIFIL’s time has ended,” he said. “Israel will continue to act decisively against any terror group that threatens its citizens and expects UNIFIL, as long as it remains deployed in southern Lebanon, to focus on its mandate and not exceed it.”
UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, was created in 1978 and expanded after the 2006 conflict to monitor the cessation of hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border.