On Thursday, the UN Security Council approved the end of the Peace Mission of the United Nations in southern Lebanon. According to the resolution adopted unanimously, its mandate is last extended until the end of 2026 and will withdraw from the country next year. The end of the mission after almost five decades was asked by the United States and their close ally Israel. According to AP and AFP, TASR reports this.
Unifil stops its operations for 31 December 2026
In 1978, the UN Temporary Forces in Lebanon (UNIFI) were created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Southern Lebanon. The US was also voted for the proposal of the 16-month extension, which originally demanded the end of the mission by six months and later in a year.
The resolution adopted will terminate the Unifil mandate and stop its operation on December 31, 2026. It should be completed within one year.
France and Italy are afraid that Lebanon will not be so quickly able to fully secure the border area
The resolution states that the aim is to achieve that the only “security of security” in southern Lebanon is the government of the country. This applies to the area north of the so -called. Blue line, borders with Israel set by the World Organization. Israel Security Council called on the UN Security Council to withdraw its armed forces from there after a recent war with Hezbollah in several strategic positions.
European countries such as France and Italy have objected to the fast end of UNIFIL. They argued that withdrawing a mission before the Lebanese army is able to fully secure the border area would create a vacuum that could quickly use Hezbollah. The Government in Beirut states that its army is not yet ready to take full control.
Lebanon solves the question of disarming Hezbollah
The decision of the UNSC’s Security Council to extend the mandate on Thursday was welcomed by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawáf Salam, thanks to France and “all friendly states” in the Council. The resolution was also welcomed by the Israeli Ambassador to the World Organization Danny Danon. “We have good news coming from the UN for a change,” he said, according to AFP.
The UNC resolution appeals to the international community to “intensify its support, including equipment, material and finance” for the Lebanese armed forces. They are gradually placed on the basis of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where they also remove the infrastructure of this militant group.
Lebanon also addresses the sensitive issue of the disarmament of Hezbollah, the influential political and paramilitary organization supported by Iran. This month, the government has asked the army to draw up the appropriate plan by the end of the year.
