Beirut: Europe and the Arabs

The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings condemned the renewed Israeli attacks on Lebanon, including the "deadly attack on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp and the repeated attacks on civilians and UN peacekeepers," according to the UN Daily News.

Special Rapporteur Maurice Tidball Binns said, "This is not an isolated incident, but part of a disturbing pattern of deadly Israeli strikes on populated areas, in complete disregard of the ceasefire and Lebanese peace efforts."

He added in a press statement that "these repeated attacks on civilians and civilian objects constitute war crimes and a violation of the UN Charter." Events on which the Special Rapporteur bases his findings

The press release referred to reports of an Israeli drone strike on November 18 on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, which killed at least 14 people – including 12 children – and injured at least six others, in the deadliest attack since the November 2014 ceasefire.

The statement noted that Israel claimed to have targeted a “Hamas training compound,” without providing further details.

The independent UN expert pointed out that the Ain al-Hilweh attack followed near-daily Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, nearly 127 Lebanese civilians have been killed and many more injured in these operations, which have struck homes, vehicles, and other civilian targets in southern villages and along main roads.

The Special Rapporteur stated that these incidents “are part of a wider pattern of unlawful killings and violations of the ceasefire agreement by Israel.” UN Peacekeeping Forces

Tidball-Bines expressed his concern over the renewed attacks on UN peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The independent UN expert stated, "Deliberate attacks against UN personnel constitute a war crime under international humanitarian law."

He added that these incidents "amount to international crimes and are serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701 and of Lebanon's sovereignty."

The international expert said that these attacks severely undermine the Lebanese government's efforts to implement the ceasefire, restore peace, and ensure justice and security for its people.

Demands

The independent UN Special Rapporteur urged Israel to immediately cease all attacks in Lebanon and to fully comply with Security Council resolution 1701, the terms of the ceasefire, and its obligations under international law.

He called for prompt, independent, and effective investigations into all alleged unlawful killings resulting from Israeli strikes in Lebanon, particularly after the ceasefire. The international community was urged to pressure Israel to fully implement the ceasefire, immediately cease all attacks and killings on Lebanese territory, and support independent and effective investigations and efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

It should be noted that Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, an international body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide. They are mandated to examine and report on human rights situations to the Council. The experts perform their duties in their personal capacity and are completely independent of any government or organization, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN agencies. Any views or positions they express are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the United Nations or the Office of the High Commissioner.