Israel fears the United Nations Security Council may limit the power of its peacekeeping force to monitor Hezbollah’s military activity against Israel on the northern border with Lebanon.
The 15-member security council is slated to approve at the end of the month an annual resolution that extends the ability of its peacekeeping unit, known as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, to operate.
In advance of that meeting, Israeli and Lebanese delegations are expected to attend the UN this week to discuss the mandate’s renewal with UNSC members.
The UNSC is slated on Tuesday to meet with representatives from the 48 member states that contribute to the 10,500-member force.
Last year, the security council included a paragraph that bolstered UNIFIL’s independence, insisting that the peacekeeping force should have freedom of movement to such an extent that it did not need to coordinate its activity with the Lebanese army.
In paragraph 16, last year’s resolution stated that “UNIFIL does not require prior authorization or permission to undertake its mandated tasks.” It added that “UNIFIL is authorized to conduct its operation independently.”
That was followed by paragraph 17, which stated that UNIFIL could conduct “unannounced patrols.”
Lebanon pushing to require UNIFIL to coordinate its movement with Lebanese Army
Lebanon, according to diplomatic sources, is pushing for the UNSC to rescind that language in favor of text that would require UNIFIL to coordinate its movements with the Lebanese army.
Israel fears that such coordination would allow Hezbollah to know of UNIFIL’s movement in advance. It’s a situation that would hamper its ability to monitor Hezbollah’s military action against Israel and could endanger its troops.
A Lebanese military tribunal in June formally accused five members of Hezbollah and the allied Amal Movement of killing an Irish UN peacekeeper in December 2022.
The mandate is expected to be renewed. The debate is focused on whether or not UNIFIL will be given enough power to effectively operate.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York that it was important for the mandate to be renewed. “UNIFIL plays a critical role along the blue line and is a stabilizing factor between Israel and Lebanon.
“Obviously as with any peacekeeping mission, the renewal of the mandate is in the hands of the Security Council.”