UN Peacekeepers Shoot Down Israeli Drone, Israel Calls it 'Gathering Intelligence'

UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, shot down an Israeli drone they described as flying over a patrol in an 'aggressive manner.' Israel's military, ever the diligent diplomat, claims it was just 'gathering intelligence' and 'posed no threat.' This, of course, ignores Israel's long history of airspace violations in Lebanon, with thousands recorded by the UN itself. (UNSC Resolution 1701,

for instance, explicitly calls for respect of Lebanon's sovereignty). It appears that for some nations, 'intelligence gathering' is synonymous with a complete disregard for international boundaries and the presence of international peacekeepers. How many times can a 'defensive' action involve violating another country's airspace and antagonizing UN forces before it's called what it is:

provocation?

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