Vehicles of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol in Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon on October 11, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. Photo: AFP

China on Friday expressed grave concerns and strong condemnation over the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)'s attack on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observation tower, which injured UNIFIL personnel. 

"Any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and UNSC Resolution 1701. It is absolutely unacceptable and shall be put to an immediate stop," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday.

Many UN member states have voiced similar condemnation and concerns, which observers believe reflects a strong and common dissatisfaction and opposition from the international community regarding the impact and provocation against the authority of the UN, international law, and the international order.

UNIFIL said on Thursday that an Israeli tank fired on a watchtower in its headquarters in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, injuring two members. 

According to China Central Television, China's 22nd batch of peacekeeping troops in Lebanon is safe and in good condition so far.

"We request investigation into the incident, effort to bring relevant people to account and measures to prevent such incident from happening again. Parties to the conflict must earnestly ensure the safety and security of all UN personnel and property, including the UNIFIL," Mao said.   

"China urges parties concerned, Israel in particular, to take immediate measures to deescalate tensions, ensure the safety of UN peacekeeping personnel, and prevent the conflict from further expanding or even spiraling out of control," Mao said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned Israeli forces attack in south Lebanon that injured two Indonesian military personnel who are members of the UNIFIL. "I condemn the fact that there was a shooting against a UN premise, wounding two peacekeepers, which is a violation of international humanitarian law," the UN secretary general said.

At the UN Security Council Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation on Thursday local time, China's permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, also said that China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation regarding the IDF's attack, which resulted in injuries to UNIFIL personnel.

Since the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out last year, Israel has increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with the UN mechanism, often labeling the UN as "anti-Israel," and the relationship between Israel and the UN has also become increasingly tense, observers said. 

Italy officially protested with Israel on Thursday for targeting UNIFIL deployed in south Lebanon, which hosts UNIFIL headquarters and two Italian bases. Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto contacted his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant to complain, describing the events as "unacceptable to the Italian government."

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said Moscow fully supports the security of peacekeepers, who are being subjected to "unpredictable risks" due to Israel's presence on the Blue Line. "We all understand that this is a war crime. It deserves the most decisive reaction from all of us," Nebenzya reportedly told a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday.

France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs condemned the attack and said it was waiting for an explanation from Israel as to why it took place. "France expresses its deep concern following the Israeli shots that hit [UNIFIL] and condemns any attack on the security of UNIFIL," the ministry said in a statement.

Israel's attack on UNIFIL has been met with strong condemnation from the international community, including some Western countries, indicating a strong common opposition to such disregard for international law and order, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times.

According to Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University, Israel's attack, which also undermines the authority of the UN and the safety of UN peacekeeping personnel, has further intensified the dissatisfaction of the international community.

Notably, among the global reactions, the White House said the US was deeply concerned by reports that Israeli forces fired on UN positions and was pressing Israel for details, according to Reuters.

Observers believe that the statements from the US may reflect a sense of helplessness, which also highlights the duality in its policy toward Israel - supporting and indulging it on one hand, while on the other having disagreements on many issues and not wanting to be drawn into the conflict. "Therefore, the US stance is kind of weak and may lack significant practical meaning," Liu said.