The United Nations Security Council is voting on Monday to decide the future of the peacekeeping mission in the south of Lebanon, which has been objected to by the United States and Israel.
The resolution to extend their presence in volatile southern Lebanon by one more year was introduced and backed by France, amid fears that the Israeli government would illegally annexe parts of the territory.
The UN peacekeeping forces, known as the Blue Helmets, were first deployed in 1978 to separate Israel and Lebanon. The force has remained in place following frequent skirmishes reported between Israeli forces and Lebanese Hezbollah.
The latest draft text accessed by reporters suggests the Council is likely to signal “its intention to work on a withdrawal of UNIFIL, with the aim of making the Lebanese Government the sole provider of security in southern Lebanon.”
According to the truce following the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army has not only taken control of the south but also dismantled the militant group’s infrastructure there.
The Lebanese government is grappling with the critical issue of dismantling Hezbollah, which has fought and defended the country on numerous occasions, including during the 2006 war.
Also under the recent truce, Israeli forces were meant to withdraw from the territory. However, they have deliberately maintained their presence in contested zones, sparking fears of another conflict to fulfil Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision of a “Greater Israel.”
The resolution would extend the force’s mandate until August 31, 2026.
Ahead of the vote, a senior UN official warned that “to eliminate UNIFIL’s capacity at this point, or very quickly, would not serve anybody in the region,” calling any abrupt withdrawal risky.
The official added that UNIFIL had facilitated the deployment of 8,300 Lebanese armed forces personnel to 120 locations, while assisting with logistics, funding, fuel, and training.
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