Hezbollah Using UN "Peacekeepers" as Human Shields

Graphic found at Michelle Malkin

The death of four U.N. "peacekeepers" along the Lebanese-Israeli border is a tragedy that need not have happened. The first question: why were they there? Obviously there is no peace to keep.

But there are other questions as well. The U.N. openly declares that Hezbollah is using the civilian population of Lebanon as human shields (see below). And there are also numerous reports of Hezbollah postioning their rocket launchers and weaponry near U.N. observer stations (see photo at right, courtesy Michelle Malkin). And of course let's not forget that Hezbollah has used vehicles with UN markings for attacks on Israel in the past. Hezbollah is also not above using ambulances for the transport of fighters and weapons.

Does anyone really think that Israel would target UN personnel or ambulances just for the heck of it?

I'm not alone in questioning the leadership of Kofi Anan. Here's an excerpt from "The Free West" a blog sponsored by the German newspaper Die Welt:

Sometimes it seems as if United Nations Secretary General Kofi Anan isn't really of this world. For a head of the United nations he seems to exhibit a surprising otherworldliness. Today, a direct strike against a UNIFIL post in southern Lebanon by an Israeli shell killing four UN military observers has been lambasted by Anan as a deliberate attack.

This accusation is without any foundation and Israel has rightly demanded an apology. UNIFIL began as an opportunity for peace, but the UN Interim Force in Lebanon has never made good on its promise. It looked on as Hizballah fortified southern Lebanon, it failed to prevent Hizballah carrying out attacks on Israel. Throughout, Hizballah has used UNIFIL to give cover in battle and to limit Israel's options when counterattacking, while UNIFIL's tacit approval of Hizballah's presence has lent it apparent legitimacy.

'UNIFIL has provided more security to Hizballah than it has to Israel, thereby increasing the likelihood of conflict and helping to make the current war inevitable. Even if they wanted to, the troops could not escape the distorted political constraints imposed by the organization and the nations that sent them. Nor could they escape the iron law of peacekeeping forces: those that are "successful" are not necessary, and those that are most necessary are doomed to failure.'

As recent UNIFIL press releases show, in the last two weeks Hizballah has been firing at Israel from the vicinity of its bases, drawing Israeli fire to the international observers. This is a deliberate ploy to endanger UNIFIL personnel. Israel has fired at Hizballah targets being careful to avoid endangering UN lives. That one shell eventually went astray and killed four UNIFIL soldiers is an accident for which Israel has apologised and which will be the subject of an official inquiry.
But to recap: Hizballah deliberately endanger UNIFIL lives; Israel deliberately tries to avoid endangering UNIFIL lives.

Meanwhile, we're going to hold Israel responsible for civilian deaths in Lebanon and accountable under the Geneva Conventions rules for war while excusing the obvious war crimes of Hezbollah.

And people wonder why there is so much terrorism, war and murder in the world???

UPDATE: Canadian General received email from one of the slain soldiers who reported that Hezbollah was using the UN position for cover.