India has voiced deep concern over the escalating security situation in West Asia, particularly following alarming reports of UN peacekeepers being caught in intensified clashes in southern Lebanon. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an official statement highlighting their vigilance regarding the developments along the Blue Line, expressing worry about the deteriorating conditions.
This statement coincides with calls from global leaders, including US President Joe Biden, urging Israel to cease attacks on UN peacekeepers amid ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah. Biden’s remarks come after two incidents within 48 hours, during which Israeli forces acknowledged their responsibility for injuring two Sri Lankan soldiers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. The situation has drawn condemnation from various European leaders, who have joined together to demand an immediate end to the attacks.
In a recent discussion on NewsX, experts convened to analyze the escalating security situation in West Asia, particularly in southern Lebanon, where UN peacekeepers have become entangled in intensified clashes. The panel featured notable figures, including Group Captain (Retd) Dr. Major Augustine Vinod, Professor Madhav Nalapat, Editorial Director of TSG; Major General (Retd) JK Bansal; and Sanjeev Srivastav, an international affairs expert, with Uday Pratap Singh, Editor of NewsX, serving as the host.
Concerns About the Situation
Kicking off the discussion, Group Captain (Retd) Dr. Major Augustine Vinod acknowledged the serious developments that have occurred in the Middle East, noting that India has also expressed significant concern about the situation. He said, “Now, the UN has been in Lebanon since 1978, so this interim force is not something new. The aim of putting this interim force since 1978 has been to continuously occupy the area, which has seen many skirmishes and wars, including the famous 1982 war in the Beqaa Valley, which was the first time we saw electronic warfare being used extensively. At that time, this UN interim force played a key role.”
He also added, “It played a key role in the 2006 32-day war, also called the July War. I remember that time; I was still in uniform and in a frontline fighter squadron. We were discussing this 2006 conflict, and the interim forces came into action. Their Charter is very diverse, and this is probably one of the few peacekeeping forces that has a maritime element to it, with Turkey contributing to that element. So this particular pocket that you see in the south of Lebanon has been under scrutiny not only for peacekeeping activities but also for a lot of finger-pointing by both Lebanon and Israel regarding other activities happening inside the four walls of this UNIFIL headquarters.”
Call for Restraint
Moving ahead with the discussion, Professor Madhav Nalapat expressed his views concerning the reports that peacekeepers have been caught in the fighting, noting a collective call for restraint along the Blue Line. However, the big question remains whether that restraint will actually be observed. He made a well-articulated argument and said, “I’d like to say that when you’re a peacekeeper or, let’s say, you’re a doctor, you don’t look at what kind of patient is brought to your table or the activity that’s taking place. You’re there to keep the peace; you’re there to heal, and that is an important point that needs to be made.”
“Now, obviously, Israel is not happy with what Captain Augustine mentioned about certain activities related to Hamas and Hezbollah taking place in the UN compound. Israel was not very happy about that, and the same thing has been happening in Gaza as well, according to Israelis and some other sources. So they have, in a sense, declared war on the UN and have basically said that they don’t respect the UN at all as a peacekeeping force. Why? Because there are elements in there, according to the Israelis and some of their friends, that are helping Hezbollah, and this is something which, frankly, the UN needs to be monitoring very carefully.”
Escalating Conflict and Its Implications
Continuing the conversation, Major General (Retd) JK Bansal discussed that in Lebanon, there is widespread concern as the conflict intensifies, with UN peacekeepers caught in the middle. This situation highlights the escalating nature of the war, raising questions about the direction the conflict is now taking. While speaking about the issue, he said, “If you see the ground reality, at the time of the attack on Lebanon, Israel had informed UN peacekeepers to shift about 3 to 4 kilometers to the north. However, they did not shift, and there was the attack. They say they were firing when they suspected any Hezbollah presence on that side. Israel is also stating, which is very obvious, that the role of the peacekeeping force was to keep this area, the buffer zone, free from Hezbollah. UN Resolution 1701, established in 2006, clearly mentioned that this area should be free, but Hezbollah had been maintaining posts there and had fired about 9,000 rockets.”
“Israel had to evacuate the northern part of the country, with about 60,000 people displaced from that region. Now, the main concern, as far as India is concerned, is the safety and security of our soldiers. We have more than 900 personnel there, but unilaterally, we cannot withdraw.”
India’s Position on the Conflict
During the discussion, Sanjeev Srivastav noted that India is expressing complete caution regarding the safety of UN peacekeepers. He also discussed what the Indian viewpoint is on the conflict, which is widening with each passing day. The speaker examined the direction in which the war is headed and whether a ceasefire is likely to happen in the near future or if that seems unlikely at this time. He said, “This is a very complicated situation that the Middle East region is facing at this point in time, and in my assessment today, it is not possible to have a ceasefire when, at a time, Israel is preparing a very hard response against Iran, and Iranian proxies are time and again attacking Israel. Israel is facing so many security concerns, particularly in southern Lebanon, where the UNIFIL forces are present.”
“Israel is in a very complicated situation, a kind of dilemma, because they want to ensure that Hezbollah terrorists do not utilize this territory of southern Lebanon to carry out any kind of October 7-like attack on northern Israel. As you know, about 60,000 to 80,000 Israeli nationals have internally displaced themselves into other areas, and Israel’s top priority at this point is to bring them back home in northern Israel. That will only happen when the Israeli establishment is assured that they will not be attacked from southern Lebanon.”
“That is why the Israeli Defense Forces are operating in southern Lebanon—to ensure that that area is not being utilized or exploited by Hezbollah terrorists. In that process, the UNIFIL forces are caught in the crossfire. I completely agree with Major General Bansal that the United Nations Security Council will have to take a call.”
In summary, the escalating conflict in southern Lebanon poses significant challenges for UN peacekeepers and regional stability. The insights from the panel highlight the complexities of the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for diplomatic efforts and effective monitoring to safeguard peace and ensure the safety of all involved parties.
WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION HERE:
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