The United States and Israel agreed that United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) must cease its operations in southern Lebanon, The Jerusalem Post reported Sunday
The American administration has decided not to renew UNIFIL’s mandate, and Israel reportedly “did not try to convince the US otherwise.”
The vote on the mandate in the United Nations Security Council is expected to occur within a few months.
UNIFIL’s mandate was most recently renewed by the Security Council on August 28, 2024, through resolution 2749 (2024), extending it until August 31, 2025. This is a yearly renewal, requested by the Lebanese Government.
What is UNIFIL?
UNIFIL was created in 1978 following the First Lebanon War, and was founded with the intention of confirming Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, as well as assisting the Lebanese government with restoring authority in the area.
After the Second Lebanon War in 2006, UNIFIL’s mandate was extended to monitor hostilities in the region and ensure humanitarian access to local civilian populations.
UNIFIL currently has over 13,000 uniformed personnel, and its top military contributor is Indonesia.
No officials from the US, Israel, or the UN have commented on the announcement.
Source: Jerusalem Post