The UN Security Council has begun discussing a resolution prepared by France to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year, until August 31 2026, with the prospect of a phased withdrawal.
According to the draft document, quoted by Reuters, the continued presence of peacekeepers will be linked to the Lebanese government becoming “the sole guarantor of security in the south of the country” and the parties agreeing on a comprehensive political settlement.
The draft resolution also calls for increased diplomatic efforts to resolve disputes over the international border between Lebanon and Israel.
The 15-member Security Council is expected to vote on August 25, a few days before the current UNIFIL mandate expires.
These are forces deployed back in 1978 to separate Lebanon and Israel. According to media reports, Israel and the United States are opposed to extending the mission. At the same time, official representatives of the US State Department declined to comment on the current negotiations, noting only that discussions are continuing.
After the end of the latest armed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese army began deploying in the south of the country and dismantling the militants’ infrastructure. The Lebanese government has instructed the military to develop a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, but the group itself opposes this move.
Despite the terms of the ceasefire, Israel has not completely withdrawn from Lebanon, maintaining troops in a number of strategic areas and continuing to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory.
