BARCELONA, Oct 28, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The EU foreign policy chief on Monday
renewed calls for an "immediate ceasefire" in Lebanon and condemned Israel's
"unacceptable attacks" on UN peacekeepers in its war against Hezbollah.

The offensive against the Iran-backed militia has thrust the UNIFIL
peacekeeping mission to the forefront of the escalating conflict in the
Middle East.

UNIFIL, deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978, has reported several
injuries and damage to its facilities since Israel launched its ground
offensive at the end of September.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Hezbollah is using the
force as "human shields" and called on it to withdraw.

The European Union calls "for an immediate ceasefire across the blue lines"
UNIFIL monitors and the respect of relevant UN Security Council resolutions,
foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a forum in Barcelona.

Only UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army should be deployed in southern
Lebanon, according to a 2006 Security Council resolution agreed after the
last Israel-Hezbollah war that year.

Borrell also spoke of "condemning the unacceptable attacks" by Israeli forces
against UNIFIL structures and personnel.

Referring to UN warnings that Gaza's humanitarian crisis was the worst since
World War II, Borrell said the forum gathering leaders from the Mediterranean
region must do more than "just expressing concern".

"The way this war is being taken against civilians has grave concerns and put
too many unanswered questions."

Hamas's unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7 last year triggered
the Gaza war, sparked hostilities across the Lebanese-Israeli border, and
sparked first direct attacks between Israel and Iran.