UN peacekeeper injured in southern Lebanon by gunfire News
UNIFIL, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
UN peacekeeper injured in southern Lebanon by gunfire

A UN peacekeeper was wounded by gunfire from an unknown source in southern Lebanon, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported on Saturday, amid clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.

UNIFIL reported that the peacekeeper, stationed at their headquarters in Naqoura, was struck by gunfire due to nearby military activity, with the source of the gunfire not known at present. The BBC reports that this is the fifth injury among peacekeepers in southern Lebanon in just two days.

On Friday, two UNIFIL peacekeepers were wounded when an Israeli tank opened fire on a UN observation tower. The BBC stated that the Israeli military admitted that the peacekeepers were hurt by Israeli fire while it was targeting Hezbollah. The UN emphasized that any deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a violation of Security Council resolution 1701.

France, Italy and Spain, the largest European contributors to UNIFIL in terms of personnel, condemned Israel’s alleged breach of resolution 1701 in a joint statement that urged all parties to ensure the safety of its personnel.

On 1 October, Israeli troops have launched a ground invasion in southern Lebanon as part of its escalation against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they were focused on “Hezbollah targets and infrastructure” in a number of Lebanese villages along the border that posed an immediate threat to Israeli towns.

In light of the escalation of war, Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, urged UNIFIL peacekeepers to pull back to “avoid danger.” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations responded that the UNIFIL peacekeepers are “currently staying in all their positions”.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon was created by the Security Council in March 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. It aimed to restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.

Its role was bolstered by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006, which stipulates that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.

As of April 2024, UNIFIL had approximately 9,500 troops from around 50 countries.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Knights Templar arrested in France on false charges

French members of the Crusade-era chivalric order the Knights Templar, including Grand Master Jacques de Molay, were arrested upon the orders of King Phillip IV of France on October 13, 1307. The group was baselessly accused of multiple offenses, including idolatry and homosexual acts. The Templars would be tried for these offenses before being disbanded officially by Pope Clement V in 1312. Learn more about the Knights Templar.

Rosenbergs' espionage appeal denied by Supreme Court

On October 13, 1952, the US Supreme Court announced that it had declined to grant certiorari in the appeal of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, condemned to death for conspiracy to commit atomic espionage for the Soviet Union. Justice William O. Douglas eventually granted a stay of execution on June 17, 1953, but that order was vacated by the full Court and the Rosenbergs were executed on June 19, 1953. Learn more about the Rosenbergs' case from the Eisenhower Presidential Library.

Greenwich Mean Time established as universal standard

On October 13, 1884, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was declared universal time by the International Meridian Conference, a gathering of 25 nations from around the globe.
Read the proceedings of the International Meridian Conference from Project Gutenberg.