UN Security Council renews peacekeeping force in Lebanon for another year

A soldier with the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon keeps watch in the Marjayoun area. EPA

The UN Security Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to renew the mandate of the peacekeeping force stationed in southern Lebanon for another year, urging the “relevant actors” to restore “calm, restraint and stability” to the region.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, along with the Lebanese military, is responsible for ensuring the area between the Litani river and the southern border with Israel is “free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons” other than those belonging to the government.

The text also insists on the full implementation of a 2006 resolution demanding a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, stating “that further escalation carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict”.

According to UN reports on Unifil's activities, the peacekeeping force has continued operating inside Lebanon since October, when Hezbollah stepped up its attacks on Israel in solidarity with Hamas.

Since the outbreak of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas on October 7, there have been near daily exchanges of fire across the border between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as other armed groups. Strikes have intensified in recent months, with heavy exchanges at the weekend raising concern about the potential for all-out war.

Israel has repeatedly accused Iran-backed Hezbollah of obstructing Unifil peacekeepers from fulfilling their mandate.

Last year, a group of armed residents ambushed a Unifil convoy, killing an Irish peacekeeper. In June, Lebanon’s military tribunal charged five men in connection with the killing, with a judicial official alleging links to Hezbollah. The group has denied involvement.

in a letter to the council at the end of July, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had supported Beirut's request to extend UNIFIL's mandate unchanged.

While the mandate has not been amended, the resolution adopted on Wednesday "encourages the Secretary General to ensure that UNIFIL remains ready to adapt its activities to support de-escalation, within its mandate and its rules of engagement."

In light of the increased tension, France proposed a simple technical rollover of its mandate “at a time when the blue helmets [peacekeepers] are indeed in the line of fire, and they are doing remarkable job in extremely testing circumstances”, said Nathalie Broadhurst, France’s deputy ambassador to the UN.

The US voiced concerns over the Security Council's failure to condemn Hezbollah for its actions.

“It is wrong that this council has yet to condemn Hezbollah for these repeated destabilising actions and we regret that a small minority of members block the council from doing so in this mandate renewal,” US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said.

“Hezbollah's violent attacks put Israel and Lebanese civilians at risk. They jeopardise Lebanon, stability and sovereignty. Lebanon should not be a haven for terrorist organisations or a launch pad for attacks against Israel.”

Ahead of the council session, Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon issued a stark warning to the Lebanese government and its citizens, urging them to confront Hezbollah and warning that failure to do so would lead to “chaos and destruction”.

“The time for action is now,” Mr Danon said, emphasising that Lebanon's future should not be dictated by Hezbollah and Iran.

“If you do not act, the devastation that follows will be your responsibility.”

Lebanon’s UN envoy Hadi Hachem referred to the renewal of the Unifil mandate as a “gesture of hope for all Lebanese who reject war, violence and destruction, the Lebanese who want to give peace a chance”.

“They are counting on the Security Council and on Lebanon's many friends to help achieve cessation of hostilities,” he added.