As tensions rise along the Lebanon-Israel border, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto is calling for the urgent implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to prevent a catastrophic conflict. With some 1,200 Italian soldiers at risk, the resolution aims to establish a demilitarised zone to ensure peace and stability in the volatile region
A precarious peace. As tensions escalate along the border between Lebanon and Israel, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has voiced serious concerns for the safety of the national contingent involved in the UNIFIL mission, which patrols the 120-kilometer Blue Line—the UN-defined buffer zone between the two nations.
- Minister Crosetto stressed that while UNIFIL soldiers are not intentional targets, they risk being inadvertently caught in the increasingly frequent crossfire between the two sides.
- Echoing these concerns, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated, “We monitor the situation of the Italians in the area, in contact with the Italian ambassadors and crisis units.”
- Currently, approximately 1,200 Italian soldiers are stationed in Lebanon.
The call for change. Defense Minister Crosetto underscored that the international community faces an urgent situation demanding swift action. He urged for the complete implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, deeming it the sole viable path to preventing a devastating war in Lebanon.
- This resolution mandates the establishment of a demilitarised zone between the Blue Line and the Litani River, permitting only UNIFIL and Lebanese forces to carry arms.
- Minister Crosetto highlighted that the current escalation has altered the operational landscape, thereby affecting the role of peacekeepers.
- Consequently, an evacuation plan has been prepared for the peacekeepers should the situation further deteriorate.
