Italy protested to Israel after a shell hit a UN peacekeeping base in Lebanon

The Italian government announced that an Israeli shell hit the base of the Italian contingent in the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, which did not explode, and protested to Israel over the incident.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed Rome's displeasure in a conversation with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar.

Tajani said it was “necessary to ensure the safety of the personnel of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and insisted that such attacks are unacceptable.”

Sa'ar, in turn, guaranteed an “immediate investigation” by the Israeli government into the shell incident.

The 10,000-strong UN mission, created by a UN Security Council resolution in 2006, is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor fighting along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel.

Israel said Nov. 4 that it had formally informed the United Nations of its decision to cut ties with the U.N. refugee agency supporting Palestinian refugees after lawmakers voted to ban the organization.

“On instructions from the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Israel's Israel Katz Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the UN that the agreement between the State of Israel and the UNR was terminated,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Last month, Israel's parliament approved a proposal to shut down the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (RURP) in Israel and East Jerusalem, despite condemnation from the international community, including its ally the United States.