As the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, \u201cUNIFIL,\u201d approaches its expiration at the end of this year, questions are mounting regarding the future of the international presence in southern Lebanon, amid continued tensions on the ground and Israeli attacks, while the UN Security Council has yet to determine the form of arrangements that will be responsible for implementing Resolution 1701 after the end of the UN force\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview with \u201cSky News Arabia,\u201d UNIFIL spokesperson \u201cTilak Bukharil\u201d said that a neutral international presence in southern Lebanon remains necessary to help reduce tensions and restore stability along the Blue Line, noting that peacekeeping forces continue to monitor extensive Israeli military activity in the area despite the ceasefire being in effect.<\/p>\n
\u201cBukharil\u201d explained that the UN force\u2019s mandate ends on December 31 of this year, with its withdrawal process set to begin the following day, pointing out that the Security Council has not yet made a decision regarding the options proposed for the future implementation of Resolution 1701 after UNIFIL\u2019s mission ends.<\/p>\n
He added that the UN Secretary-General presented three options to the Security Council last June regarding the future implementation of the 2006 resolution after the force\u2019s withdrawal, stressing that the Council, as the body responsible for determining UNIFIL\u2019s mandate, has not yet taken a position on those options.<\/p>\n
\u201cBukharil\u201d said he did not want to speculate about what the Security Council might decide, but stressed\u2014from the perspective of developments on the ground\u2014the importance of maintaining a neutral international presence in southern Lebanon, as a factor that could help ease tensions and support stability along the Blue Line.<\/p>\n
Regarding security developments in southern Lebanon, the UNIFIL spokesperson said that peacekeeping forces are monitoring extensive Israeli military activity on a daily basis, explaining that levels of violence declined since June 21 before increasing again in August, while the overall situation in the area remains \u201cfragile.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that recent days have witnessed significant Israeli activity, including artillery shelling and airstrikes, as well as troop deployments, logistical movements, engineering works, and site maintenance, reiterating UNIFIL\u2019s call for the Israeli army to fully withdraw from the territories located in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n
Regarding the activity of \u201cHezbollah,\u201d \u201cBukharil\u201d stated that UNIFIL forces have not observed the group launching any projectile since June 21, nor have they detected any evidence that it is rebuilding its capabilities. He explained that the force\u2019s mission\u2014under Resolution 1701\u2014is to support the Lebanese authorities in fulfilling their commitments, ensuring that the area extending between the Blue Line and the Litani River remains free of any unauthorized weapons, equipment, or personnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cBukharil\u201d described the humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon as \u201cextremely dire,\u201d explaining that the Israeli army controls large areas of the region and conducts military activities by land, air, and sea, while recent developments have left widespread destruction affecting civilian infrastructure, including homes, bridges, water networks, and other facilities.<\/p>\n
While some residents have managed to return to their areas, the spokesperson said that \u201ctens of thousands\u201d of people displaced from villages and towns in southern Lebanon, particularly those near the Blue Line, have still been unable to return.<\/p>\n
As the end of the UN mandate approaches, international and regional parties are exploring options for dealing with the upcoming phase in a way that prevents a security vacuum in southern Lebanon, alongside efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese army and enable it to play a greater role in securing the border area and asserting state authority over it.<\/p>\n
UNIFIL\u2019s mission dates back to 1978, when the Security Council established it under Resolutions 425 and 426, before expanding its mandate following the 2006 war to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south, as well as tasks related to maintaining stability and supporting humanitarian access.<\/p>\n
UN Secretary-General \u201cAnt\u00f3nio Guterres\u201d had proposed three options in June for the next phase following the expiration of the current mandate, ranging from the deployment of around 2,000 personnel to more than 5,500 United Nations personnel, with the aim of monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and \u201cHezbollah\u201d and supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, while emphasizing the continued need for peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.<\/p>\n
In the same month, France and Italy expressed their desire to form a coalition for the next phase following \u201cUNIFIL,\u201d with the aim of supporting Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty and preventing its territory from becoming \u201ca foothold for regional escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
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