France and Lebanon challenge Israel over UN force’s future - report
A report by the Financial Times reveals Beirut seeks more time for peacekeepers in the volatile south as Israel pushes for the mission to end
A diplomatic dispute is unfolding over whether UN peacekeepers should remain in southern Lebanon as continued Israeli military operations and Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm keep the region on edge.
Lebanon, backed by France and most members of the UN Security Council, wants the UNIFIL mission to continue temporarily after its scheduled closure on December 31. Israel is pressing for the force to leave.
The Financial Times first reported the diplomatic effort after obtaining a letter Beirut sent to the Security Council. In it, Lebanese officials argued that conditions were not yet suitable for ending the mission and proposed a limited extension of its existing mandate.
According to the FT, three people familiar with Security Council discussions said France and a majority of council members had responded favourable to Beirut’s position.
The disagreement reflects sharply different assessments of UNIFIL, which has more than 7,000 personnel. Lebanon and its supporters see an international presence as necessary while the south remains unstable. Israel, by contrast, believes the mission has failed to contain Hezbollah and sees little justification for prolonging it.
Hezbollah has rejected demands to surrender its weapons, leaving the Lebanese government and its international partners with few immediate options for restoring security.