HRW says UN must keep peacekeepers in Lebanon

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the United Nations to maintain an international peacekeeping force in Lebanon after the current mandate of UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expires at the end of 2026. UNIFIL, comprising around 7,500 personnel from nearly 50 countries since 1978, has not prevented repeated conflicts in the region.

These include successive wars between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, such as the one that erupted after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in March, leading to a widespread Israeli bombing campaign.

HRW's UN director, Louis Charbonneau, stressed that pulling UNIFIL without a robust alternative force would abandon millions of Lebanese civilians to uncertainty and potential disaster. The peacekeeping force is crucial for deterring attacks on civilians and preventing human rights abuses, he added. UN chief Antonio Guterres has suggested that peacekeepers will be necessary in Lebanon post-expiry of the current mandate, though this proposal is likely to face opposition from the US and Israel.

In June, Guterres proposed three options for UN personnel to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, ranging from nearly 2,000 to over 5,500 troops. France and Italy have also advocated for a post-UNIFIL coalition to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and prevent its territory from potentially being used as a foothold for regional escalation.

In July, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for UNIFIL's continued presence, and a letter signed by 86 member states, including Lebanon, was sent to the UN Security Council, urging the force to remain with an expanded mandate.

Aoun argued that if UNIFIL were to leave, there should be an alternative force to assist the Lebanese army in clearing southern regions, removing unexploded ordnance, and implementing the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel. HRW's Charbonneau emphasized that the Security Council should not leave Lebanese civilians unprotected, warning that the council's departure could create a security vacuum that would allow further abuses to occur.