UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is under heavy criticism after he accused Israel of deliberately bombing a UN observer post, killing at least two peacekeepers immediately. Two more are believed to have died under the rubble of the post in the town of Khiyam. Upon hearing the news that four UN soldiers may have been killed by Israel, Mr. Annan rushed out of his hotel in Rome where he was dining with Condoleezza Rice and Lebanon’s PM. This attack backs the claim by Lebanon that Israel is bombing indiscriminately.

In a statement Mr. Annan said, “I am shocked and deeply distressed by the apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli defense forces of a UN observer post in southern Lebanon. I call on the government of Israel to conduct a full investigation into this very disturbing incident and demand that any further attack on UN positions and personnel must stop.” Annan said the particular post had been there for a long time, was marked clearly, and being aware of the locations of UN posts Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, promised they would not be attacked. Dan Gillerman, Israel’s UN ambassador, was furious over Annan’s comment that the attack was deliberate. Gillerman said Israel was investigating the matter, then “parroted” Annan by saying he too was “shocked and deeply distressed”, not by the incident, but by Annan’s “hasty statement”. Gillerman added, “I think that his statement was irresponsible, unfortunate, and deplorable.”

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