Payam Javan: The U.N. Security Council has resisted Israel’s request to withdraw peacekeepers from southern Lebanon, urging all parties to respect their neutrality. In a statement on Monday, the council expressed concern over rising civilian casualties, destroyed infrastructure, and widespread homelessness in Lebanon. The U.N. peacekeeping chief confirmed that the peacekeepers would stay at their posts, despite Israeli demands for them to move further north for safety.

Tensions have escalated since Israeli troops entered southern Lebanon on October 1 to target Hezbollah fighters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the U.N. force (UNIFIL) for allegedly shielding militants, while Israel and the U.N. exchanged blame over an incident at a UNIFIL base. The U.N. reported that Israeli tanks had damaged the base’s gate, with subsequent explosions injuring five peacekeepers. Israel, however, argued that their forces were responding to Hezbollah attacks near the base.

The Security Council emphasized the need for compliance with international humanitarian law and called for the implementation of Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The council remains divided over the broader conflict since the October 7 attack by Hamas but is unified on the situation in Lebanon. With over 1,400 deaths and 1.2 million displaced people in Lebanon, the council’s statement sought to assure Lebanese civilians that the U.N. is closely monitoring the crisis.