The UN Security Council unanimously approved Wednesday the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL), renewing it for another year along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Israel's attempts to cancel the move and shorten the mandate to six months were blocked by strong opposition from France and other UN members.
The decision comes amid ongoing Hezbollah attacks on Israel, despite the shortcomings of the UN peacekeeping force. Since October 8, the Iranian-backed Shiite terror group has launched approximately 8,500 rockets and hundreds of drones toward Israel.
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the northern border, stating, "A few days ago, we thwarted a surprise Hezbollah attack on Israel. We destroyed thousands of short-range rockets aimed at the Galilee and Golan Heights. I repeat – thousands of rockets. We also intercepted all the drones targeting Israel, Galilee, and the center, and they were destroyed. This is a significant achievement, but it's not enough. As I’ve said, this is not the end of the story. The end will come only when we can restore security and safely return residents to their homes. That is our top national priority, and we are committed to achieving it."
Israel responded to the UN decision earlier, emphasizing that the UN secretary-general’s reports on the implementation of Resolution 1701 do not reflect the reality on the ground. According to Israel, the reports fail to adequately address the movement restrictions and operational limitations Hezbollah has imposed on UNIFIL observers in southern Lebanon for years. They also do not sufficiently acknowledge the group's growing military presence within the international force’s area of operation, which clearly violates Resolution 1701. Israel has also accused the UN of not properly addressing the presence of Iranian weapons in Lebanon, which breaches the arms embargo and creates a false equivalence between Hezbollah and Israel.
Israel’s stance on the renewal of the mandate is that full implementation of Resolution 1701 and UNIFIL’s mandate is necessary, including the expulsion of Hezbollah from north of the Litani River. The Israeli delegation to the UN, led by Ambassador Danny Danon, worked closely with its allies, particularly the United States, during the renewal process. Israel’s position was driven by the need to signal that it could not be "business as usual." Some of Israel’s demands were accepted, including a proposal to draft a shorter and more concise mandate renewal text, which would downplay the significance of the international force.
However, one demand that was not met was the shortening of the mandate to less than 12 months, due to France’s position and that of most other Security Council members. Additionally, the delegation’s request to include a condemnation of Hezbollah in the mandate was also rejected. The Lebanese terrorist organization is not mentioned in the mandate draft, despite being the greatest threat to UNIFIL.
In recent months, Hezbollah has not only fired rockets at Israel from areas near UNIFIL bases but has also endangered UN personnel by using these locations as launch sites, with some rockets landing close to international force units. This tactic of using UN soldiers as human shields highlights the increasing danger faced by UNIFIL troops and underscores the urgent need for international intervention to enforce the mandate.
As of July 2024, UNIFIL consists of approximately 10,000 soldiers from 49 countries, including Italy, Spain, France, India, China, Guatemala, Kenya, Nigeria, Uruguay, Zambia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Turkey and Ireland. The organization has an annual budget of $510 million. In December 2022, Hezbollah killed a UNIFIL soldier from Ireland.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said: "I intend to make it clear to the Security Council that if the UN’s UNIFIL force does not push Hezbollah away from the border, we will. UNIFIL must be active and effective in enforcing Resolution 1701. The situation where Hezbollah, with Iran's assistance, fires rockets at Israel near the international force’s bases is unacceptable."