http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=373668&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17
UN peacekeepers under strain in south Lebanon
Publish Date: Sunday,11 July, 2010, at 11:00 PM Doha Time
AFP/Beirut
A Lebanese boy rides his bicycle past a UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(Unifil) patrol in the southern village of Qalawayeh, near the border with
Israel
Four years after a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, the UN forces
keeping them apart in southern Lebanon are under mounting strain amid fears of
a fresh conflict and hostility from villagers.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, is in a delicate position "between
two armed parties preparing for a possible new conflict," Paul Salem, who heads
the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Centre, said. "It is feeling somewhat
trapped," he said ahead of the July 12 anniversary of the start of the war.
The 12,000-strong force is entrusted with overseeing a ceasefire between Israel
and Hezbollah. For decades Unifil has maintained good relations with the
people of southern Lebanon, offering them education and health services in
addition to their peacekeeping duties.
But in a rare string of events this month, villagers attacked the multinational
force after taking to the streets to protest a 36-hour maximum deployment
exercise by Unifil. In the most notable confrontation, residents of the
southern town of Tulin disarmed a French patrol and attacked them with sticks,
rocks and eggs before the Lebanese army intervened.
Michael Williams, the UN special co-ordinator for Lebanon, described some of
the protests as "clearly organised," singling out one encounter he said
involved about 100 villagers.
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved a statement of support
for its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and called on all parties in the
country to allow the forces to move freely. The rising tensions also prompted
Unifil commander Alberto Asarta Cuevas to urge villagers to continue to work
with his troops for peace. "Whereas we take all possible measures to mitigate
inconveniences to the people, there may still be problems you may face," Asarta
said in an open letter on Thursday. "The way to deal with those problems is to
discuss them directly with Unifil, as we have always done in order to find
amicable solutions, not by obstructing the work of peacekeepers or by beating
them."
But some southerners said they were far from happy with the troops. "For three
months we feel that the behaviour of French soldiers in particular has changed.
They watch us all day," said Ali Ahmed Zahwa of the municipality of the town of
Kabrikha. Abu Imad, a butcher in the town of Sawana, said: "We are not against
Unifil, but the soldiers began to inspect our houses, take pictures and use
sniffer dogs."
A Unifil spokesman denied the soldiers had entered any civilian homes.
Lebanon's president, government and army chief-General Jean Kahwaji, who rarely
makes public statements-have all voiced their support for the peacekeepers. "We
commit ourselves 100% to protecting the UN Interim Force in Lebanon against any
attack," Kahwaji was quoted on Friday as telling the mass-circulation An Nahar
newspaper.
But Hezbollah, which controls large swathes of southern Lebanon, has shown
growing distrust of the blue-helmeted troops, with deputy chief Naim Qassem
saying Unifil should "pay attention to what it does." "Their behaviour is
incomprehensible," Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of
Hezbollah, told local television on Thursday. "One wonders what they want."
Tension on the Lebanese-Israeli border has been on the rise since April when
Israel accused Damascus, Hezbollah's main backer along with Iran, of smuggling
Scud missiles to the Shia party. Salem for his part says Unifil may well be the
only factor keeping war at bay. "Although Unifil is acting in good faith, its
image has blurred," Salem said. "But nobody wants to see them go, certainly.
"There presence is preventing the outbreak of new conflict for the moment."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
