TFLE01: UN IN LEBANON FEELING PRESSURE FROM BOTH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 002475 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/SINGH/HARDING E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2016 TAGS: IS KPKO LE MOPS PREL PTER SUBJECT: TFLE01: UN IN LEBANON FEELING PRESSURE FROM BOTH SIDES OF CONFLICT Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C/NF) On July 26, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar told econoff that UNIFIL suspected that the July 25 Israeli airstrike on an UNTSO post near Khiam was deliberate. UNIFIL had warned the IDF for several days that it was striking a UN post. Close calls have been reported at other UN posts along the Blue Line. Separately, UN Political Officer Georges Nasr reported that Lebanese anger at the UN is growing. End summary. ISRAELI FIRE KILLS 4 UN OBSERVERS -------------- ¶2. (C/NF) On July 26, UNIFIL Senior Adviser Milos Strugar confirmed to econoff that Israeli fire yesterday had killed four UNTSO observers inside their post near Khiam. The four dead UN observers included a Finn, an Austrian, a Canadian, and a Chinese. Strugar reported that UNIFIL suspected that the lethal Israeli attack was deliberate for three reasons. First, Israel knew that the long-time UN post was there. Second, the four observers were killed by two direct hits by precision Israeli aerial bombs. It was not a near miss. Third, the UN post had been receiving close and direct artillery hits for three days and UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini had warned the IDF that it was hitting a UN post. ¶3. (C/NF) Strugar continued that only luck has prevented more such incidents. He said that there have been at least 14 incidents of Israeli artillery scoring near or direct hits on UN posts along the Blue Line over the past ten days. In one incident, an Israeli artillery shell landed in the middle of a UN post, but luckily the shell was a dud. LEBANESE BLAME UN -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) UN Political Officer Georges Nasr told econoff on July 26 that there was a palpable anger among Lebanese at the UN. Many Lebanese hold the UN responsible for promising Lebanese safe passage on southern roads, only to be bombed by Israeli warplanes. The resulting gruesome images of civilian casualties were widely published and displayed throughout Lebanon. Even in Beirut, Nasr could feel increased antagonism towards the UN. FELTMAN