European Nations Consult on Future of UN Peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, …

With the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)’s mission set to conclude in December, international discussions are intensifying regarding the future presence of these forces in southern Lebanon. Data published by the Mehr News Agency, citing Al Jazeera, indicates that the fate of UNIFIL has become a primary focus of international deliberations.

In response to this impending deadline, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that their nations are actively working to create an international framework, in collaboration with the United Nations and the European Union, to maintain stability in southern Lebanon once UNIFIL’s mandate ends. During their meeting in France, both leaders emphasized that the initiative aims to prevent a security vacuum and preserve stability in the border regions of southern Lebanon.

These diplomatic efforts are unfolding amidst calls from the United States and the Zionist regime for an end to UNIFIL’s mission or significant alterations to its structure and operational mandate. This stance has met with opposition from several countries and international stakeholders.

UNIFIL, which has been deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978, assumed a broader role following the 33-day war in 2006. Based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, its expanded mission includes monitoring a ceasefire and supporting the deployment of the Lebanese army in the southern part of the country.

Currently, approximately 7,500 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries are stationed in southern Lebanon as part of UNIFIL. The future of their mission remains a central point of political and security consultations.