Security Council

5497^th Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL ‘DEEPLY SHOCKED AND DISTRESSED’ BY ISRAELI FIRING ON UNITED NATIONS

OBSERVER POST IN LEBANON, WHICH KILLED FOUR PEACEKEEPERS

Presidential Statement Calls on Israel to Conduct Comprehensive Inquiry;

Stresses International Law Concerning Protection of UN Personnel Must Be Respected

The Security Council today stated it was “deeply shocked and distressed” over the firing by the Israeli Defense Forces on the United Nations observers post in southern Lebanon on 25 July, which caused the death of four peacekeepers, and called upon the Government of Israel to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.

In a statement read out by Jean-Marc de la Sablière ( France), its President for July, the Council extended its condolences to the families of the victims and expressed its sympathies to the Governments of Austria, Canada, China and Finland.

Expressing its deep concern about the safety and security of United Nations personnel, the Council stressed that Israel and all concerned parties must comply fully with their obligations under the rules and principles of international humanitarian law relating to the protection of United Nations and associated personnel.  It underlined the importance of ensuring that such personnel were not the object of attack.

The meeting began at 3:40 p.m. and ended at 3:45 p.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2006/34:

“The Security Council is deeply shocked and distressed by the firing by the Israeli Defense Forces on a United Nations observer post in southern Lebanon on 25 July 2006, which caused the death of four United Nations military observers.

“The Security Council extends its deepest condolences to the families of those victims and expresses its sympathies to the Governments of Austria, Canada, China and Finland.

“The Security Council calls upon the Government of Israel to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into this incident, taking into account any relevant information from the United Nations authorities, and make the results public as soon as possible.

“The Security Council is deeply concerned about safety and security of United Nations personnel and, in this regard, stresses that Israel and all concerned parties must comply fully with their obligations under the rules and principles of international humanitarian law related to the protection of the United Nations and its associated personnel, and underlines the importance of ensuring that United Nations personnel are not the object of attack.

“The Security Council expresses its deep concern for Lebanese and Israeli civilian casualties and suffering, the destruction of civil infrastructure and the rising number of internally displaced people in Lebanon.

“The Security Council will remain seized of this matter.”

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*     The 5495^th and 5496^th Meetings were closed.

For information media • not an official record