Disagreements Surround the Renewal of UNIFIL’s Mandate: A Decisive Security Council Vote
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on Monday on a draft resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed in southern Lebanon, amid opposition from both the United States and Israel.
The proposed resolution includes a French-brokered compromise, which calls for renewing UNIFIL’s mission—first established in 1978 between Israel and Lebanon—for an additional year while simultaneously preparing for a gradual withdrawal.
According to the latest draft reviewed by Agence France-Presse, the Security Council expresses its intention to work toward a UNIFIL withdrawal, with the aim of making the Lebanese government the sole guarantor of security in the country’s south.
A U.S.-mediated agreement reached last November ended a devastating conflict of more than a year between Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. That agreement stipulated that only Lebanese state forces would be allowed to bear arms, and that Israel would withdraw from positions it had seized during the fighting. However, Israel has maintained a presence on five strategic heights and continues to carry out near-daily strikes.
Two weeks ago, the Lebanese government tasked the army with drafting a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the month, with implementation scheduled before the end of the year. Hezbollah has flatly rejected this move.
The draft resolution calls for extending UNIFIL’s mandate until August 31, 2026. It remains unclear whether Washington, which holds veto power in the Security Council, will agree to this compromise. When asked by AFP, a U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the Council’s deliberations.
The proposed text also condemns attacks targeting UNIFIL facilities and personnel, incidents that have caused injuries among peacekeepers and damaged infrastructure. However, Israel is not explicitly mentioned by name as responsible for these actions.
Ahead of the vote, a senior UN official warned that fully dismantling UNIFIL’s presence too quickly would serve no one’s interests in the region, describing any sudden withdrawal as a destabilizing risk. The official noted that UNIFIL had facilitated the deployment of 8,300 Lebanese soldiers in 120 positions, providing them with logistical support, funding, fuel, and training.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed last week that UNIFIL’s support to the Lebanese army remains “critical,” adding that its presence continues to serve as a stabilizing factor along the Blue Line.
