New York (TDI): The United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon until the end of 2026, after a French-drafted resolution was unanimously passed.
The United States, with its veto power, was not as convinced as the other members of the Council but it agreed to it after a compromise was reached at. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978, will finally end its operations by next year’s end.
This will be followed by a one-year drawdown and withdrawal period, sufficiently putting the control of southern regions of Lebanon in the hands of the government. Stationed in the southern regions that border Israel, UNIFIL’s mandate was expanded in 2006.
With this expansion, it had powers to disarm south Lebanon in a way that only the Lebanese army stays in the region, dispelling the presence of Hezbollah – the most significant political force in the country, whom Israel has continued to fight.
Read More: Hezbollah Rejects Disarmament as US Envoys Arrive in Lebanon
A fresh series of Israeli attacks on Lebanon started in parallel with its Gaza assault, ongoing since October 7, 2023. Though the United States brokered a truce between Israel and Lebanon on November 27 last year, Israel has violated it multiple times.
As the resolution was adopted, the acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said, “The security environment in Lebanon is radically different than just one year ago, creating the space for Lebanon to assume greater responsibility.”
This statement aligns with US plans to set up an economic development zone in southern Lebanon backed by itself and the Gulf countries. But for anything to happen, the region must first be disarmed and the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah must stop.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the extension of the UN mission. It “reiterates the call for Israel to withdraw its forces from the five sites it continues to occupy, and affirms the necessity of extending state authority over all its territory,” he said.
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