Crosetto: 'Escape from Lebanon would undermine UN credibility'

"I want it to be clear and to remain on record: there is no question of our participation in Unifil, which will continue as long as the need arises and the United Nations, together with the 50 contributing states, does not decide otherwise. Leaving now would not bring any benefit and would undermine, perhaps definitively, the very credibility of the United Nations'. These were the words of Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in his briefing to the Senate on the recent attacks on the Unifil bases in Lebanon by the Israeli army.

"I wanted to signal the need for an incisive and rapid UN intervention that would put Unifil in a position to exercise real deterrence to the use of force. This could be achieved by envisaging various operational options, such as the presence of a rapidly deployable reserve in south Lebanon, thus guaranteeing full freedom of manoeuvre for the units and adapting equipment and endowments to the environment in which they operate," added Crosetto

The minister explained that 'all necessary measures have been taken to deal with the rapidly changing situation by reinforcing active and passive protection measures. In addition, evacuation plans have been updated, tested and are ready to be implemented if necessary'. He added: "As Defence, we are of course ready to do our part and, if necessary, we are able to conduct operations to extract the national contingent and our compatriots in Lebanon, even autonomously. Air and naval assets have already been pre-alerted for this purpose, and their readiness level has recently been raised and adjusted to the situation on the ground."

 In the statement Crosetto explained that "Italy reiterated that it recognises Israel's right to resist and defend itself against attacks from anyone. At the same time we have asked Israel to abide by the rules of international law and to protect the innocent civilian population, in Gaza as in Lebanon, and the UN contingent". "We continue to work towards a diplomatic solution that, however difficult, is the only one possible. Unifil must be strengthened and the Lebanese forces made more credible. New rules of engagement are needed and must be enforced'. This was followed by the appeal: 'We say to Israel to help us strengthen Unifil and the Lebanese forces to do in a peaceful way what it is doing with weapons'.