Washington (AP) – The Future of Lebanon’s UN peacekeeping forces It splits the US and its European allies, increasing the impact on security in the Middle East, and has become the latest obstacle VEX relationships between the US and key partners Like France, England, Italy.
There is a problem Peacekeeping project known as Unifilthat mission expires at the end of August and needs to be renewed by the UN Security Council to continue. After Israel’s invasion in 1978, it was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Israel, and after the lunar war between Israel and Israel, its mission was expanded. Extremist group Hezbollah.
For decades, multinational forces have played a key role in monitoring the security situation in Southern Lebanon. Israeli-Hezbollah War Last year, however, it has attracted criticism from both sides and many U.S. lawmakers, some of whom are currently playing a prominent role in President Donald Trump’s administration or using new influence with the White House.
Trump administration’s political appointee took office for the purpose of this year Shut down Unifill as soon as possible. They consider the surgery to be an ineffective waste of money simply delaying the goal. Eliminate the effects of Hezbollah And restore full security controls to the Lebanese army, which the government says cannot yet do.
After securing significant cuts in funding for US peacekeeping forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the plan earlier last week with a plan to end Unifil in the next six months, according to Trump administration officials and Congress aides.
That’s another step as a Trump administration Dramatically support diplomacy priorities Budgets include expressing skepticism of international alliances and Funding cuts to UN agencies And the mission. The transatlantic disparity is Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza The Russian Ukraine is in conflict with issues of trade, technology and freedom of speech.
Europeans push back against the fast end of Lebanon’s UN peacekeeping
Israel has put an end to Unifil’s missions for many years, and renewal votes often arise after weeks of political conflict. Now, stakes have been particularly high after last year’s war and more active opposition in Washington.
European countries, particularly France and Italy, are opposed to involving Unifil. With the support of the US Turkish ambassador and Lebanon envoy Tom Barrack, they successfully lobbyed Rubio and others, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private two-way negotiations, as the peacekeeping mandate would be extended for a year and a six-month period following.
Israel also reluctantly agreed to an extension, they said.
The European debate was that the Lebanese army was ending Unifil early before it could fully secure the border area. A vacuum that can be easily utilized by Hezbollah.
The French pointed out that Islamic extremists had moved when Mali’s UN peacekeeping mission was fired before government forces were ready to deal with security threats.
With the US eased, the problem ahead of the expected UN vote at the end of August seems to now be resisting France and others set solid deadlines to end the operation after a year extension.
French officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The final French draft resolution obtained by the Associated Press does not include the date of UNIFIL’s withdrawal. US officials say it is necessary for assistance. Instead, it extends the peacekeeping mission for a year and demonstrates the UN Security Council’s “intent to tackle withdrawal.”
However, even if the mandate is updated, the peacekeeping mission could be reduced for financial reasons, as the UN system is likely to face dramatic budget cuts, UN officials have no authority to comment to the media and have spoken on condition of anonymity.
One US official said the option being considered is to reduce the number of UNIFILs while increasing technical measures to monitor ground conditions.
Peacekeeping forces face criticism
There are around 10,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, but the Lebanese army has around 6,000 soldiers, and that number should increase to 10,000.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah supporters frequently condemned the UN’s mission to conspire with Israel, and sometimes attacked peacekeepers with patrols. Meanwhile, Israel accused peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah’s military operations in southern Lebanon, and lobbyed to finish the mission.
Sarit Zehabi, a former Israeli military intelligence news analyst and founder of the Israeli think tank Alma Research and Education Centre, said Unifil “had a damaging role in its mission to disarm South Lebanon’s Hezbollah.”
She noted the discovery of Hezbollah tunnels and weapon caches near the Unifil facility during and after the Israel-Hezbollah War, when many senior leaders of extremist groups were killed and many of their weapons were destroyed. Hezbollah is currently below Increased pressure to abandon remaining weapons.
United Nations spokesman Stephen Dujaric said Unifil continues to discover illegal weapons, including rocket launchers, mortar rounds and bomb fuses, which it reported to Lebanese forces this week.
Under a ceasefire mediated by the US and France, Israel and Hezbollah were forced to withdraw from southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese forces in tandem with the Unifil. Israel continues to occupy five strategic points on the Lebanese side and carry out almost a day of airstrikes aimed at stopping Hezbollah from reorganizing.
Lebanon supports maintaining the UN peacekeeping forces
Lebanese officials have said UNIFIL is asking for it to stay, and that the country’s cash-covered troops still cannot patrol the full area until then.
Retired Lebanese Army General Khalil Herow said if Unifil’s orders suddenly end, soldiers must be separated from the porous boundary with Syria, where smuggling occurs.
Unifil “may not be 100% what the Western countries and Israel want, but for Lebanon, their presence is important,” he said.
The UN also calls peacekeeping forces important for regional stability, Dujarric said.
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti said it is the privilege of the UN Security Council to decide to renew the mandate.
“We are here to assist the parties in carrying out mission missions and are waiting for a final decision,” he said.
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UN Associated Press Writer Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report.
