While members of the UN Security Council are negotiating the renewal of the UN Peace Power in Lebanon (Unifil) Prior to a deadline of 31 August, the future role and capacity of the mission under an intense debate will be.
Unifil has long been a stabilizing presence in southern Lebanon, together with the Lebanese forces, mediating between parties and supporting local communities.
An important part of his mandate is to implement Security councilResolution 1701who put an end to the hostilities of 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah militants.
Yet there are still challenges, from Israeli military positions in Lebanon to the arsenal of Hezbollah and the broader question how Resolution 1701 – He requires a complete end of the hostilities – can be fully implemented.
According to the media reports, Last-Sloot negotiations are underway on the future of the mission, whereby some diplomats warn about risks of border stability and others who express lukewarm support or insist on full withdrawal.
Earlier this week, Andrea Tenti, spokesperson for Unifil, sat down with Nancy Sarkis of UN News to discuss the effectiveness of the mission, the risks of non-extension and what is at stake for Lebanon, Israel and regional stability.
© Unifil
Unifil Predaards on Patrol (Diste)
This interview has been edited for clarity
UN News: The Mandate of Unifil, which expires at the end of August, must be renewed by the UN Security Council. Why is this renewal important, and how do you assess the effectiveness of Unifil so far?
Andrea Lieutenanten: The renewal comes after a long crisis that the region destroyed and has destroyed most areas close to the blue line. It would demonstrate the importance of maintaining an international peace operation to help the Lebanese army [Lebanese Armed Forces, or LAF] In their full commitment.
That is what we have done from the very beginning, and in recent months since November, after ending the hostilities, the cowardly has brought more troops to the south, and we have worked with them to be deployed in all these positions, although the real challenge is at the moment that we still have Israeli defense groups [IDF] Positions present in the south of the country.
Un News: To what extent are the Lebanese forces ready to take care of the full responsibility in South -Libanon without the support of peace enforcement officers, and with what challenges are they confronted with?
Andrea Lieutenanten: At the moment, the Lebanese army has not the capacities and possibilities to be fully deployed. There is a financial crisis in the country, and they need capacity and capacity support from Unifil, and the financial support of the international community to have a sustainable presence and to bring the state authority to the south.
The Lebanese army and the authorities have demonstrated their full dedication to resolution 1701. However, they cannot be fully used if the IDF is still present; The presence of the IDF in the south is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and resolution 1701. There must be commitment to both parties.
UN News: If the Unifil mandate is not extended, what are the possible consequences for regional stability?
Andrea Lieutenanten: The situation is much better than before, but very, very vulnerable. Everything can endanger the situation in the south. A lack of innovation would create a real vacuum for the stability of the region. It would create a very dangerous precedent and situation for the stability of the country, and it would make impartial monitoring very difficult.
Un News: Unifil has criticized Lebanon, Israel and internationally. How do you respond to this criticism and what step can be taken to strengthen trust and credibility?
Andrea Lieutenanten: Criticism fits the job of every peace mission. To be impartial, to stay in the middle and try to help the parties with the implementation of the mandate of the mission, you will be criticized by both parties.
Sometimes the criticism is driven by a misconception of the mandate of the mission. Resolution 1701, for example, does not evoke that Unifil Hezbollah is disabled. This is not our mandate. We must support the Lebanese army to do it, and that’s what we are doing now.
On the Lebanese side we have been criticized because we patrol without the Lebanese army, but as part of 1701 we have the assignment to work with the Lebanese army or independent.
This is something that the Lebanese army and the Lebanese authorities know very well. Sometimes it is a matter of disinformation and wrong information about the role of the mission, and we try to prevent that as much as possible.
Un News: What is your vision of the role of Unifil in the coming years, and do you see it as a necessary necessity or as part of a long -term regional security framework?
Andrea Lieutenanten: At present, Unifil is very needed to support the stability of the region, bring the Lebanese army back to the south – and to return the state authority that has not been present for a long time. But it must be a South – free of occupation – that is the only way to move forward.
The aim of the mission has always been to transfer all our capacities and tasks and to transfer it to the Lebanese authorities, but a lot has to be done. To guarantee stability in the region, we must be pragmatic on the timetable.
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