Tensions between Israel and UNIFIL in Lebanon, tribute to Dominique Bernard… Five things to remember from the weekend

The tone rises between the UN force in Lebanon and Israel; several peacekeepers injured

The United Nations (UN) peace force in Lebanon requested, on Sunday, “explanations” to the Israeli army, accusing it of maneuvers targeting it, after Israel called on the UN to put “immediately safe” these troops, deployed as a buffer between the two countries.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that two Israeli tanks were “entered by force” Sunday in one of its positions at the border, before shots were fired “caused smoke” which triggered “skin irritations and gastrointestinal reactions in fifteen peacekeepers”. Castigating the “shocking violations”she also accused the Israeli army of having prevented her, the day before, from carrying out a “crucial logistical movement”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had just urged the UN Secretary General to put UNIFIL “sheltered (…) right away “after denunciations, Friday, by this force of Israeli fire “repeated” et “deliberate” on its positions in southern Lebanon, which injured five peacekeepers and placed Israel under fire from international criticism.

The Lebanese Red Cross also reported that several of its rescuers were injured Sunday in an attack on a house in southern Lebanon where they had been dispatched. « a coordination » with the UN mission.

Israel confronts Hezbollah on the ground

Israel, which intensified its strikes in Lebanon on Sunday, is carrying out ground fighting against Hezbollah in areas close to the border. Hezbollah announced that its men are fighting “automatic weapon” and with “rockets” Israeli soldiers in four Lebanese border villages, including Aïta El-Chaab, Blida and Qouzah.

The Shiite movement also reported, for the first time, “close combat” in southern Lebanon and said it had repelled two infiltration attempts by Israeli troops. According to him, the fighting in Blida left Israeli ranks dead and wounded.

For its part, the Israeli army spoke of “face to face fights” with Hezbollah. She reported the capture of a Lebanese movement fighter in a tunnel in southern Lebanon, the first announcement of this type since the launch of its cross-border ground offensive at the end of September.

The memory of Dominique Bernard celebrated in Arras, one year after the attack

With a ceremony focused on the arts, Arras, the crowd, several ministers and relatives paid tribute, Sunday October 13, to Dominique Bernard, the professor killed a year ago, to the day, by a radicalized Islamist former student. The ceremony began at 11 a.m., the symbolic moment when Dominique Bernard, 57, was killed on October 13, 2023, with several stab wounds by Mohammed Mogouchkov, a Russian from Ingushetia, then aged 20.

“A year ago, the Arras attack resounded throughout France, the Arras attack resounded throughout the world. We were suffocated, we were shocked, we were incomprehensible, declared the city’s mayor, Frédéric Leturque. A year later, we had to be there. A year later, we owed it to him to be there. A year later, we are together, still standing. »

The mayor of Arras was the only one to speak, despite the presence of several members of the government. “I don’t want any more speeches. What’s the point? Everything has been said”explained Isabelle Bernard, the wife of Dominique Bernard, to Monde.

The demonstration against the South-West LGV brought together nearly a thousand people

The first day of the weekend of mobilization against the high-speed line (LGV) project between Bordeaux and Toulouse was held, Saturday October 12, in Lerm-et-Musset, in the south of Gironde, 75 kilometers away. of Bordeaux, in a sometimes tense atmosphere but without major incident. Opponents of the future railway line were joined by the environmentalist movement Earth Uprisings, with the desire to« amplifier » the movement.

According to the gendarmerie, from eight hundred to a thousand people, including one « forte proportion » hooded radical activists gathered on the edge of the Landes forest. The demonstration, not declared to the prefecture, took the form of a series of « jeux » against the upcoming connection between Bordeaux, Toulouse and Dax. A “big useless project” of around fifteen billion euros, denounce the organizers, who claim 1,500 participants.

A helicopter monitoring the area during the night from Friday to Saturday, using searchlight and siren, according to the demonstrators, was targeted by firework mortars which did not hit it. A short exchange of projectiles took place on Saturday when demonstrators damaged a stuck law enforcement car, without causing any injuries.

The government estimates that a new “immigration” law will be necessary in 2025

“A new “immigration” law will be needed to adapt a certain number of provisions”said on Sunday, spokesperson Maud Bregeon. Returning in particular to the proposal of the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, to extend the period of detention of foreigners in an irregular situation in “dangerous profiles”M^me Bregeon announced that legislative proposals would be presented “rather at the beginning of 2025”. “We are not stopping ourselves from thinking about other arrangements”she added.

The previous law on the subject, promulgated on January 26, 2024, was the subject of very tense debates in Parliament as well as within the former presidential majority. And the Macronist camp was able to have the text voted on thanks to the abstention of the deputies of the National Rally (RN).

For the new bill, “we will discuss with all the parliamentary groups”said Maud Bregeon. “We are not going to seek support from the National Rally”she assured, while Marine Le Pen, leader of the RN deputies, made the absence of a new law on immigration a “red line” which could trigger government censorship.

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