“Don't Fuck with Israel. Never”

This what Netanyahu said to Guterres as his first reaction on Guterres' blaming of Israel for “over the top strikes near a UN watch post in Southern Lebanon.”

“It is time for you to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and combat areas. Don't fuck with Israel. Never!”

He paraphrased then in English more politely:

“Mr. Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of danger. It has to be done right now, immediately.”

During Friday's incident, two UN peacekeepers were injured in an Israeli strike near their watchtower, which served as the main UNIFIL base in Nakoura. UNIFIL reported that an Israeli bulldozer also demolished barriers at UN positions near the Blue Line marking the border between Lebanon and Israel, while tanks advanced in the area.
IDF is investigating the incidents, but said its forces were operating against Hezbollah in those areas. European countries and the United States have called on Israel to ensure the safe operation of peacekeepers, despite its military operation to oust Hezbollah from southern Lebanon.

IDF has repeatedly asked for this and received repeated refusals, Netanyahu said, explaining that keeping peacekeepers at their base turns them into a human shield for Hezbollah.

“Your refusal to evacuate UNIFIL soldiers makes them hostages of Hezbollah. This endangers both them and the lives of our soldiers.”

“We regret the injury of the UNIFIL soldiers and are doing everything in our power to prevent this injury. But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone,”

Netanyahu said.

The United States and several European countries, most notably France and Spain, have criticized Israel for the attacks.

“Unfortunately, some European leaders are exerting pressure for the wrong purpose,”

Netanyahu said.

“Instead of criticizing Israel, they should direct their criticism at Hezbollah, which uses UNIFIL as a human shield,”

he said.

UNIFIL has more than 10,000 personnel, with Italy, France, Malaysia, Indonesia and India among the largest suppliers.

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni confirmed in a telephone conversation with Netanyahu that Israeli attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon are unacceptable, the Italian government said on Sunday.

The Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Force, which has about 340 personnel serving in UNIFIL, said Friday's attack on the observation tower was deliberate.

"An observation tower that was hit by a shell directly from a tank, which is a very small target, must be very deliberate, and this is direct fire.

So, from a military point of view, this is not a random act. This is a direct act,"

Lieutenant General Sean Clancy said.

Israel has strained relations with Guterres, which have only worsened since October 7.

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz posted on Sunday that he had already declared Guterres “persona non grata” and banned him from entering Israel due to his failure to condemn Iran's missile strike on Israel, as well as his anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli behavior.

“The survey showed that 87% of the Israeli public supports this decision. Guterres may continue to seek support from UN member states, but the decision will not change,”

Katz wrote.

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