UNIFIL denies French threat to fire on intruding Israeli jets

As I have noted in several different forums, unless UNIFIL is going to be scrupulously fair it is in for a tough time I fear. It goes with without saying that the Israeli violations of Lebanese air space will need to be addressed, urgently.

The Daily Star - Politics - UNIFIL denies French threat to fire on intruding Israeli jets: "Plenty of eyes turned upward Tuesday as disagreements soared over persistent Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, with Israel claiming UNIFIL's French contingent had threatened to fire at its planes. According to Israeli media outlets, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said senior commanders of the French forces in South Lebanon had relayed a warning to Israel that its violations of Lebanese airspace might draw French anti-aircraft fire.

In comments to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Peretz said this was a 'threat.'

'They said that planes fly over them and that there was no certainty that they wouldn't open fire on them,' he said, citing the French commanders' alleged statement, which the minister said was made at a meeting of the joint Israeli UNIFIL-Lebanese military committee."

Note this further development of the story: UNIFIL chief talks about "other means" may be adopted to deal with Israeli overflights of Lebanon, which are violations of UNSC Resolution 1701.