Western leaders urge Israel to stop harming UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

Western leaders urged Israel Friday to stop harming UN peacekeepers in Lebanon after explosions wounded two of them near the country's border.

The Israeli military (IDF) said its forces on Friday fired at a threat near a UN peacekeeping mission position.

A spokeswoman for the UNIFIL mission said two Sri Lankan peacekeepers were hurt in the second such incident in two days.

Here is a roundup of reactions to Friday's incident:

Biden: stop firing

US President Joe Biden told reporters he was "absolutely, positively" asking Israel to stop firing at UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

France: 'deliberate'

France's President Emmanuel Macron said it was "absolutely unacceptable" that peacekeepers were "deliberately targeted". The foreign ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador, saying the incident constituted "serious violations of international law and must cease immediately".

Italy: 'unacceptable'

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the firing, which she said violated a UN resolution, as "unacceptable". Italy has more than 1,000 troops in Lebanon.

Spain: end 'violence'

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez demanded an "end to all violence" against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon. He called Friday's incident "absolutely unacceptable".

Ireland: 'hostility'

Ireland's foreign minister Micheal Martin called it a "shocking" and "unacceptable" development and "a very serious intensification of IDF hostility towards UN forces". Ireland has about 350 soldiers in UNIFIL.

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(AFP)