A Mr. Buttinsky is our President Joe Biden. He knows better than the Israelis what they should do to protect themselves from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and of course Iran. And instead of quietly advising them in private, he makes his advice known publicly, thereby increasing the pressure on Israel not to be seen as ungratefully ignoring what the Jewish state’s greatest military and diplomatic ally advises.
And now President Biden has also urged Israel to stop “firing at United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) positions” following two incidents in which peacekeepers were wounded. And since his unrequested — and quite unnecessary — advice, there have been three other UNIFIL soldiers who have been reported as mildly wounded by Israeli fire. But the main point, the indispensable point, is this: contrary to Biden, the IDF has never deliberately fired on UNIFIL positions. It would make no sense. It has been firing on Hezbollah positions that the terror group has deliberately placed at distances as short as twenty meters from UNIFIL soldiers. Naturally there have been accidents with UNIFIL soldiers in such close proximity to Hezbollah.
For days the IDF has been warning the UNIFIL soldiers to remove themselves from their current positions, where they are now placed between the IDF and Hezbollah.
The IDF has emphasized that its raids target only Hezbollah and not UNIFIL posts, forces or infrastructure, noting that on Sept. 30, before the start of ground operations in Lebanon, IDF representatives requested that UNIFIL move its personnel away from posts located within five kilometers of the Blue Line because this area would become an active combat zone.
However, the United Nations has refused to move its forces to safer areas, despite a plea from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. “Netanyahu tells UN to get forces out of harm’s way in Lebanon,” JNS, October 13, 2024:
“I want to directly address the UN secretary-general from here: It is time for you to remove UNIFIL from Hezbollah’s strongholds and from the combat areas,” the premier said in a statement.
“The IDF has repeatedly requested this, only to be met with refusal, a refusal aimed solely at providing Hezbollah terrorists with a human shield. Your refusal to evacuate UNIFIL soldiers turns them into hostages of Hezbollah. This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers,” he continued.
But though such a move away from the immediate zone of combat would certainly be in the interest of its soldiers, UNIFIL refuses to move. UNIFIL claims it is “doing its job” by remaining where it is. Really? In what way has UNIFIL in Lebanon ever done its job? It was first sent to Lebanon in 2006. Its task was to ensure that Hezbollah moved north of the Litani River, and to make sure that there were no weapons in the area between the Blue Line — the border between Lebanon and Israel — and the Litani River.
Not a single Hezbollah operative has moved north of the Litani River in the eighteen years due to any action by UNIFIL, that has supposedly been enforcing UNSC Resolution 1701. Instead, Hezbollah has brought more and more weapons — drones, rockets, and missiles — to the area and placed them in hideouts, some within the very areas where UNIFIL troops are stationed. These weapons can be retrieved and launched at a moment’s notice. Hezbollah has also been digging tunnels that run from that area of Lebanon south of the Litani into the northern Galilee.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has even called on U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to evacuate UN peacekeepers from southern Lebanon to get them out of harm’s way, following a third incident in which UNIFIL bases were hit by IDF fire. Hezbollah frequently launches rockets and missiles at Israeli communities and troops from positions very near UNIFIL posts. But instead of ordering the UNIFIL troops to move, the anti-Israel and, let’s not mince words, antisemitic Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, has now said that the IDF “firing on” UNIFIL soldiers “may constitute a war crime.”
The IDF has repeatedly emphasized that its raids target only Hezbollah and not UNIFIL posts, forces or infrastructure, noting that on Sept. 30, before the start of ground operations in Lebanon, IDF representatives requested that UNIFIL move its personnel away from posts located within five kilometers of the Blue Line because this area would become an active combat zone.
Taffy says
António Guterres was duly warned that his UNIFIL “peacekeeping” troops are in danger if they remain, and that they should be moved elsewhere before Israel lights up Hizb’allah and Hizb’allah infrastructure in the area. But Gutierrez is a recalcitrant MF, and he doesn’t seem to care about the well being of his troops, who will surely die if they stay. So with a few hundred dead “peacekeepers,” Guterres can blame Israel for the peacekeepers’ deaths and try to transform it into a war crime. There is no war crime if there is advance warning to vacate the area and the people in that area have sufficient time to evacuate to someplace safe. Whether or not they do so has no bearing on the classification of 5he bombing. Maybe the UNIFIL troops will do the smart thing and desert.
carpediadem says
The only one committing war crimes is the UN. And those funding it.
Ken Olson says
Ignorance of obvious facts is not a good basis for an opinion
somehistory says
They are being told to shoot at the IDF.
See the link below.
Kosh's Shadow says
The US and Israel should state that if UNIFIL doesn’t leave OR enforce resolution 1701, they will be considered willing human shields for Hizballah, and therefore supporters of a terrorist group. As such, the US and Israel need to be repaid ALL money given to UNIFIL; all UNIFIL workers banned from both the US and Israel, and if the UN doesn’t like it, the entire UN can be listed as a terror group supporter and has 24 hours to get out at their expense.
Trump MIGHT do this; the “Biden” administration is also a supporter of terror groups, so they won’t.
gravenimage says
+1
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I was listening to Caroline Glick 2 days ago, and she was pointing out that Israel has only until November 5th to act. B’cos regardless of who wins the election, Biden will still be in office, but this time unburdened (to paraphrase Kamala) by any considerations of how either muslim or Jewish voters might react. If his instincts are anti-Israel, then he might do considerable damage to Israel during those 3 months
I therefore think that instead of sweating over Hizbullah, Israel should simply bomb Kharg Island in Iran, destroying 90% of their oil export capabilities. Yeah, Bibi did tell Biden that he’d only attack Iranian military targets, but since that’s been leaked, jeopardizing those operations, Israel no longer owes any integrity to DC when the US has not demonstrated any from our side. Israel should therefore take out Kharg, and then, every one of its trading partners will find themselves giving charity, rather than selling things to Iran, be it weaponry or anything else
Once Trump is in, take US help in dealing w/ UNIFIL
James Hoagland says
Fully support bombing this island. This will bring the CCP in full force but that would just flush into the open what is going on behind the scenes. Modern Israelites need to act like Israelites!
James Lincoln says
࿗Infidel࿘ says,
“…Israel should simply bomb Kharg Island in Iran, destroying 90% of their oil export capabilities.”
Yes, that appears to be the best “doable” option – for now.
Ray Jarman says
I agree with everyone above and if I might add. Bombing the Kharg Island would be like attacking a military site since the huge majority of the revenue from oil is spent on its military and the sub-human entities such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Nick says
+1
Tony Rice says
Have the UN placed their personnel anywhere in Israel to protect Israeli population from rocket fire from Hamas or Hexbollah,, the latter driving out Israeli population from their homes etc in Northern Israel, and killing many in the process. If they haven’t, maybe Guterres will explain why he is being selective in who he protects.
gravenimage says
Damn good question, Tony.
James Lincoln says
Brilliant question, Tony!
Nick says
I think we can safely assume the answer to that question is no. Why? Because the UN sees Palestinians as being the oppressed victims. Whereas the actual real victims are the Israelis.
What a crazy world we are living in at the moment.
40 rounds says
I sound like a broken record, but Biden is an idiot –always has been
James Hoagland says
He’s more than an idiot! In sum he seems to have been amoral in his behavior as he has amassed a huge fortune while being a “public servant”.
OLD GUY says
I think the UN would like for Israel to accidentally hit one of their UNIFIL instillations. Just think of the outrage the western media and the left political leaders could wage against Israel and make them the Aggressor.
somehistory says
“United Nations peacekeepers who have been fired upon by Israel can fire back at them according to a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution.
…..While the unanimous resolution was not passed under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter allowing U.N. troops to use force to impose its mandate — including in this case to disarm combatants, including Hezbollah — all U.N. peacekeeping operations retain the right to use force in self-defense.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/un-troops-in-lebanon-can-shoot-back-at-israel/ar-AA1sofRw?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=1490fb4b34dc4517a0c901d4883ea520&ei=45
Nick says
I think we can safely assume the answer to that question is no. Why? Because the UN sees Palestinians as being the oppressed victims. Whereas the actual real victims are the Israelis.
What a crazy world we are living in at the moment.