Israel’s Netanyahu urges immediate withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to remove peacekeeping forces from southern Lebanon "immediately."

"Mr Secretary General, get the UNIFIL forces out of harm's way. It should be done right now, immediately," Netanyahu said in a video statement issued by his office, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces had asked UNIFIL several times to leave but it had "met with repeated refusals."

At least five members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have been wounded in recent days amid fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We regret the injuring of UNIFIL soldiers and we are doing everything in our power to prevent this injuring," Netanyahu said. "But the simple and obvious way to ensure this is simply to get them out of the danger zone."

Earlier this month, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared Guterres persona non grata following Iran's attack on Israel.

News.Az