France ‘Very Upset’ with UNIFIL Attack: We Will Retaliate Firmly to Any Other Assault

France will retaliate “firmly” with any new attack against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, French sources told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat in remarks published on Sunday.

“France is very upset with the recent attack against the international troops,” they added.

“If some sides want UNIFIL to withdraw from Lebanon, then there’s no need to attack them,” they continued.

“France may withdraw its troops if it is subject to more attacks,” they revealed.

Furthermore, the Italian and Spanish troops are ready and “want to” withdraw from UNIFIL, they added.

The sources stated that the attack against UNIFIL took place in the South and “everyone knows who controls that area.”

“Paris has repeatedly said that the number of Lebanese army units deployed in the South is insufficient,” they remarked.

In addition, other sources said that France will determine its position on the Lebanese government in light of its stand on funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and position on UNIFIL.

The sources noted that in summer 2010, disputes broke out between the French UNIFIL troops and Hizbullah over the former’s inspection of villages in the South.

As long as none of the soldiers are dying, the withdrawal of French troops from UNIFIL is not being discussed at the moment, they said.

Informed sources stated that French President Nicolas Sarkozy is aware that withdrawing the French troops will force other units from other countries to withdraw as well, which will jeopardize peace in the region.

Moreover, the sources pointed out that the Lebanese army is not seeking to search for arms in the South.

They explained that once UNIFIL discovers arms in the region, it informs the army, which in turn informs Hizbullah.

This demonstrates that the army is not seeking to search for weapons caches, they noted.

This therefore forces UNIFIL to take matters into its own hands and confiscate the weapons, which will lead it to a confrontation with Hizbullah, which says that the army is charged with confiscating arms, not the international force, said the sources.

The sources stated that the Lebanese army is subject to Hizbullah’s will and it will not perform its required duties, “making the French authorities feel that they are running around in a vicious circle.”

On Tuesday, a French unit in UNIFIL was targeted in a roadside bomb attack near the southern city of Sidon.