European Union Condemns Killing of UNIFIL Personnel in Lebanon

European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has condemned the killing of a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) personnel earlier this week and has once again demanded accountability for the incident. In a statement on Sunday (7/6), Kallas stated that the EU urges all parties to fully comply with the provisions of the agreement between Israel and Hezbollah and rejects any “additional conditions” from the Lebanese resistance group. Kallas emphasised that the Lebanese people are paying a “heavy and unacceptable” humanitarian and socio-economic price due to the ongoing escalation and airstrikes. “The European Union demands the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701, which calls for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon by Israel, as well as the disarmament of non-state armed groups, including Hezbollah,” she said. Kallas also reaffirmed the EU’s full support for UNIFIL and its mandate. The EU, she noted, “strongly condemns all attacks against its personnel, including the killing of a UNIFIL staff member in the June 4 attack,” which marks the seventh peacekeeper to have died since March. “The killing of peacekeepers is a violation of international law and must be followed by full accountability,” Kallas stated.