Security Council Condemns Death of Peacekeeper, Spain Blames Israel
The U.N. Security Council condemned on Wednesday the death of a Spanish U.N. peacekeeper during the Israeli military's exchange of fire with Hizbullah in a disputed border area.
The Council condemned his death in the strongest terms and offered its deepest sympathies.
Spain's ambassador to the U.N. blamed Israel for his death.
"It was because of this escalation of violence, and it came from the Israeli side," Spanish Ambassador Roman Oyarzun Marchesi told reporters.
The U.N. peacekeeper has been identified as Cpl. Francisco Javier Soria Toledo, 36, and U.N. officials have said only that the cause of his death is under investigation.
The Spanish envoy said he had asked for a full investigation during an emergency meeting of the council called by France to discuss ways to defuse tensions between Israel and Lebanon.
The violence raised fears of another all-out conflict between Israel and Hizbullah, who fought a month-long war in 2006.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for "maximum calm and restraint," urging all sides to "act responsibly to prevent any escalation in an already tense regional environment," a U.N. statement said.
Tension in the area has been building, especially after an Israeli air strike on the Syrian sector of the Golan Heights killed six Hizbullah fighters and an Iranian general on January 18.
"Our objective is to engage toward de-escalation and to prevent further escalation of the situation," French Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters.
France presented a draft statement to council members but after meeting for over an hour, the council issued a terse condemnation of the peacekeeper's death and made no mention of de-escalation efforts.
Discussions on the council statement were continuing.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet, Associated Press
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