663 Spanish soldiers assigned to Lebanon “on alert” but still conducting “usual patrols” On the Blue Line of the border between Israel and LebanonAs stated this Monday by Defense Secretary Margarita Robles.
This Sunday, after the large-scale offensive launched by the Islamist movement Hamas against Israel, they took refuge in the “bunkers” of the Miguel de Cervantes base in Marjayún. they used bomb shelters After Palestinian militiamen believed to be Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israeli territory in the early hours of Sunday and the Israeli army responded with artillery fire in the Kfr Chouba area. 15 kilometers from the Spanish base.
Troops participating in the United Nations Finul (Unifil) mission, “all precautionary and security measures”, The Minister of Defense added. Spaniard Aroldo Lázaro, the general who commands the UN peacekeeping mission on the border between Lebanon and Israel, has been in contact with officials on both sides to prevent tensions from escalating.
Finul’s job is to monitor: End of hostilities between Hezbollah and IsraelIt accompanies and assists the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south of the country and along the so-called Blue Line between the two countries.
Hezbollah militias applauded Hamas’ massacre on Israeli territory and sanctified it as a warning to Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, preparing to restore relations with occupying Israel.
This Monday, the Israeli army killed several armed suspects who had infiltrated northern Israel from Lebanon. Helicopters are attacking the areaon this occasion he walked away from the incident.
Previously, 16 Spaniards were killed in Lebanon
Since February 2022, Spain has led the United Nations mission in Lebanon. General Aroldo Lázaro is the Chief of Mission and commander of the security force. 9,994 blue helmets from 49 different countriesAccording to UN data.
finul is carrying We have been monitoring the border between Lebanon and Israel for 17 years. The cost of lives was high for our country: During this period, 16 soldiers lost their lives. According to the most recent data sent to FINUL, our country contributed to FINUL with the deployment of a total of 22,024 people, including military personnel, civilian security and translators. Defense Personnel to this newspaper.
spanish soldiers They defend the integrity of the Blue Line, This is the restriction that the United Nations established in 2000 after Israel withdrew from the occupied territories in Lebanon. In 2006, after the bloody war between both countries, the UN, with the approval of the Parliament, established a peace mission in which Spain participated with more than 1,000 soldiers.
Continuous events in the region are worrying, especially at a time when it is feared that Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza will spread to neighboring Lebanon. Corporal Francisco Javier Soria Toledo in 2015, age 36He died as a result of being hit by a bullet fired by the Israeli army. Six legionnaires in 2007 They died in a car bomb attack in the country.
Finul’s Spanish leadership
“In Lebanon, the Spanish general Lázaro is leading a large mission that is very complex and full of difficulties, sometimes with a high political content,” El newspaper of the Prensa Ibérica group explains to de España. Alistair D. Edgar, PhD in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada and an expert on United Nations peace missions. “Therefore, the professionalism and capacity of Spanish soldiers and police in the mission are particularly useful.”
An example of this dual military and political aspect was seen on July 10. Spanish general left High-level emergency meeting in Lebanon The Shiite group Hezbollah is working to deal with rising tensions along the border with Israel, which occupies a part of Lebanon, while setting up its tents in a claimed Israeli spot.
Most of the union is inside Miguel de Cervantes’ base, near the town of Marjayún, where the eastern sector is headquartered. The operation, called Operation Libre Hidalgo, consists primarily of foot and vehicle patrols to constantly monitor the separation line and ensure compliance with United Nations resolution 1701, which defines the mission.
United Nations director of peace missions Jean-Pierre LacroixFor EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, it underlines the special character that the Spanish Armed Forces bring to the mission. “Spanish peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon contribute to maintaining the cessation of hostilities by following the Blue Line and preventing the tensions and risks of escalation they give rise to, and they do this by serving local communities with warmth and compassion,” the MP said. says. UN Secretary-General for Peace Operations.