Lebanon needs international force after peacekeepers leave, PM tells UN chief

Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday to maintain a UN-backed international force in the country's south after the current UN peacekeeping mandate, Unifil, concludes. Unifil, comprising approximately 7,500 peacekeepers from 46 nations, has served as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel since 1978.

However, following US pressure, the UN Security Council recently voted to terminate Unifil's mandate at the end of this year. Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York, Salam emphasized the necessity of preserving an international presence under UN auspices during the post-Unifil era, stating that this should maintain monitoring, reporting, and liaison functions, contribute to stability, and support the process of extending the Lebanese state's authority over its entire territory.

Unifil's withdrawal coincides with Israel retaining troops within a self-declared security zone, a 10km-deep area inside southern Lebanon near the border. This zone was established following Israel's airstrikes and ground invasion in March, following Lebanon's involvement in a regional conflict instigated by Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has expressed a desire for a new force, either European or otherwise, to prevent a security vacuum after the peacekeepers depart, though he maintains that extending Unifil's mandate remains the optimal solution.

This proposal was discussed during a meeting in Paris last week, which included Aoun, French President Emmanuel Macron, and King Abdullah II of Jordan. France and Italy have proposed a multinational coalition to succeed Unifil. Guterres indicated in a June report that peacekeepers would be required following Unifil's mission expiration.

Salam also conveyed to Guterres the plight of around 329,000 people who remain displaced in Lebanon since the latest conflict erupted, requesting assistance for the humanitarian response.