Israeli shelling kills 5 INDIAN soldiers and 4 UN workers

[Averroes]

Five Indian soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in south Lebanon were killed in Israeli shelling on Tuesday evening, Aljazeera correspondent reported.

However, agency reports quoted UN officials in south Lebanon and Lebanese security sources saying that four UN observers were killed in an Israeli bombing raid on Tuesday.

"One aerial bomb directly impacted the building and shelter in the base of the United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon in the area of Khiam," said Milos Strugar, a UNIFIL spokesman.

An Israeli tank shell had hit a UNIFIL position in southern Lebanon on Monday, wounding four Ghanaian soldiers. Shrapnel from tank shells fired from the Israeli side seriously wounded an Indian soldier last week and Hezbollah fire wounded an Italian observer on the border on Sunday.

In 1996, during Israel's Grapes of Wrath campaign in Lebanon, an Israeli jet bombed a UNIFIL compound in the southern village of Qana, killing 106 civilians sheltering inside.

UNIFIL was created in 1978 after Israel's first major invasion of southern Lebanon and has been there ever since. The United Nations has called for a bigger, better armed, more robust international force in the area.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/CAC26504-558A-4814-81A3-720B1030B04F.htm

Four United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an Israeli air strike on an observation post in southern Lebanon, the UN has said.

Protest

The UN in Lebanon says the Israeli air force destroyed the observer post, in which four military observers were sheltering.

It said the four, from Austria, Canada, China and Finland, had taken shelter in a bunker under the post after it was earlier shelled 14 times by Israeli artillery.

A rescue team was also shelled as it tried to clear the rubble.

The UN has made urgent protests about the attacks.

Unifil has been operational in the border area since 1978 and is currently 2,000 strong.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5215366.stm

 

[Owais]

Hezb’s commander killed; Annan “shocked” at Israel’s “deliberate targeting” of UN post BEIRUT: Israeli air attacks on southern parts of Lebanese capital killed Hezbollah's cultural commander Khalil Shibli, while bombing on a UN post left four observers dead.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was "shocked" at Israel's "apparently deliberate targeting" of a UN post in Lebanon, in which up to four UN observers were killed.

Annan, in a statement issued on the eve of an international conference in Rome on the Lebanon crisis, described the strike on the border town of Khiam as a "coordinated artillery and aerial attack on a long established and clearly marked UN post."

He said, "I call on the Government of Israel to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on UN positions and personnel must stop.

"The names and nationalities of those killed are being withheld pending notification of their families. I extend sincere condolences to the families of our fallen peacekeepers."

Those who were killed belonged to Austria, China, Canada and Finland.

 

[A.Rahman]

Israel warns people in Southern Lebanon to flee the area, and then they bomb people in their cars while fleeing.

Israel expects international support in their fight against Hizbollah, and then directly bombs UN outposts.

Other nations need to step in to help stop this insanity!

 

[sigatoka]

Five Indian soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in south Lebanon were killed in Israeli shelling on Tuesday evening,

This is quite ironic considering the level of one sided trumpet blowing by indians on this forum on the conduct of the conflict.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

Yes Sigatoka. This is a big blow to indian supporters of Israeli aggression.

 

[Bull]

Yes Sigatoka. This is a big blow to indian supporters of Israeli aggression.

bullshit.

Its not related.

 

[Awesome]

bullshit.

Its not related.

Israel has long maintained that it wants a Nata force, not a UN force to operate there. I guess this is Israel's way of speeding things up.

 

[A.Rahman]

Israel troops 'ignored' UN plea

UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon contacted Israeli troops 10 times before an Israeli bomb killed four of them, an initial UN report says.
The post was hit by a precision-guided missile after six hours of shelling nearby, diplomats familiar with the initial probe into the deaths say.
The news came as crisis talks in Rome failed to call for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Reports say up to 13 Israeli soldiers died in the latest fighting.
The four unarmed UN observers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland, died after their UN post was hit by an Israeli air strike on Tuesday.
The UN report says each time the UN contacted Israeli forces, they were assured the firing would stop.
Israel is conducting an investigation into the deaths, and has rejected accusations made by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that the targeting of the UN position was "apparently deliberate".
In southern Lebanon, fierce clashes have continued between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters around the town of Bint Jbail.
Israel has not confirmed any deaths from among its soldiers, but says there have been 20 casualties.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5217176.stm

 

[Neo]

Where is the strong condemnation from New Delhi now? I guess Indian lives are spendable when it comes to bigger issues right? Hyppocrites! :wall:

 

[Lahori paa jee]

Where is the strong condemnation from New Delhi now? I guess Indian lives are spendable when it comes to bigger issues right? Hyppocrites! :wall:

Neo!!!
They are Israeli and they can do anything. Violate all international laws, kill innocents, human rights violations, illegal occupations and yet are threatened by their unarmed neighbours. :evil:

 

[Neo]

Neo!!!
They are Israeli and they can do anything. Violate all international laws, kill innocents, human rights violations, illegal occupations and yet are threatened by their unarmed neighbours. :evil:

Bullseye!
Israel has not even spared the US, its biggest ally and donor!

I'm still curious how Delhi will react...I wouldn't be too surprised to see a lame excuse as 'colliteral damage'

 

[sparten]

I am even more curious as to see how the Indians on WAB will react.
Puts them in a pretty pickle.

 

[Jay_]

ugh, sorry for barging in your little party here...

All Indian peacekeepers safe in Lebanon

New Delhi, July 26. (PTI): An Israeli bomb hit an Indian patrol base of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, killing four unarmed observers of various nationalities, but all Indian troops are safe.

Four military observers -- one each from Canada, China, Austria and Finland -- were killed in an Israeli air-strike yesterday at Khiyam near the border with Israel, Brig A K Nehra told PTI on phone from Lebanon.

Nehra said all Indian soldiers and officials serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are "absolutely safe".

The Indians, however, are facing an acute shortage of water and essential supplies due to the hostilities. UNIFIL also said in a statement that it was "facing serious restrictions in its freedeom of movement due to hostilities and extensive destruction of roads and bridges".

Except for a soldier injured by stray splinters four days ago in Houla village, all Indian troops manning vital posts in Shia-dominated southern Lebanon are safe and have been asked to confine themselves to bunkers, officials here said.

Indian peacekeepers have posts in the area that Israeli armour and artillery bypassed today to hammer the Hizbollah stronghold of Bin Jabeel. Army officials here said the Indian peacekeepers were not affected.

UNIFIL, reports reaching here said, has approached the Israeli Army for letting through convoys flying UN flags and carrying supplies for its peacekeepers and food and medicines for civilians in war-ravaged areas of southern Lebanon.

Under the peacekeeping mandate, UN troops have directions to cease operations in case of hostilities between the principal players in the region - Israel, Lebanon and non-state player Hizbollah.

Through diplomatic channels, New Delhi has tried to reach Tel Aviv to allow UN convoys to re-supply the peacekeepers.

India has provided an infantry battalion, close to 1,000 troops, to UNIFIL that monitors the border with Israel in southern Lebannon.

UNIFIL was formed in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200607261910.htm

Now, carry on

Alzazeera

 

[Neo]

No party here when inocent people die Jay.

Still curious to see if Delhi will condemn the shameless assault on UN premises.

 

[Jay_]

India backs OIC, flays Israel on Gaza
Indrani Bagchi
[ 6 Jul, 2006 0051hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: On most days, the Organisation for Islamic Countries (OIC) and India are at daggers drawn. Yet, India last week signed on to an OIC petition for a special session of the newly-constituted Human Rights Council of the UN held on Wednesday - to give Israel a hollering for its activities in Gaza.

The vote to keep the situation in the occupied territories on the Council's agenda was passed with 29 countries in favour, 12 against and 5 abstentions, while one country was absent. India voted along with Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria, while UK, Canada, France, Germany and Japan voted against.


India lodges protest with Israel after soldier injured in military action
New Delhi, July 18, IRNA

India has lodged a protest with Tel Aviv after an Indian soldier, part of the UN Peace Keeping Mission in Lebanon, was injured in Israeli military action. Israel has expressed regret over the development.

India protested to Israel against the injury to its soldier and asked them to ensure that such incidents do not recur, said Secretary (East) of the External Affairs Ministry Rajiv Sikri here in a media briefing Monday night.

Sikri said India was in touch with the UN for obtaining information on the fate of the peacekeeping mission in view of the escalation in fighting between Israel and Lebanon.

"Safety of our soldiers is very important," the secretary said, adding that the possibility of the UN itself shutting down the peacekeeping mission was not ruled out.

India is concerned with the safety of its 672-soldier contingent.

The soldier, manning the Sheikh Abad Tomb post in Shiite- dominated southern Lebanon, was injured in heavy shelling yesterday but was evacuated to safety.

The soldier, whose identity was not known, was hit by a shell, said Sikri.
http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-239/0607183542130939.htm