UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon: Aoun Refuses Withdrawal Before Implementing Resolution 1701
August 19, 202574 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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As the mission of the "UNIFIL" forces in Southern Lebanon approaches its end in late August, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated, during his meeting with the commander of the UN forces, Major General Diodato Abagnara, his commitment to Lebanon's insistence on the presence of UN forces in the south for as long as necessary to implement all provisions of the international resolution 1701.
Aoun emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between the Lebanese army and the "UNIFIL" forces, in addition to supporting the residents of the southern towns and villages, stressing the need to complete the deployment of the Lebanese army to the international borders to ensure security and stability in the region.
This affirmation comes as the UN Security Council began discussions yesterday, Monday, on a draft resolution submitted by France to extend the mandate of the "UNIFIL" forces in Southern Lebanon for an additional year until August 31, 2026, in preparation for their gradual withdrawal from the area.
This project faces opposition from Israel and the United States, which demand that the mandate of the force deployed since 1978 on the Lebanese-Israeli border not be extended.
The draft resolution includes a paragraph expressing the "determination of the Security Council to work towards the withdrawal" of the "UNIFIL" forces so that the Lebanese government becomes the sole guarantor of security in the south.
It is noteworthy that the Lebanese government had previously approved earlier this month the withdrawal of Hezbollah's weapons and the restriction of arms to the state, which is one of the provisions of resolution 1701 issued after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, which also stipulates the withdrawal of the party from the south of the Litani River and the cessation of armed manifestations in southern Lebanon.
The fifteen members of the Security Council are scheduled to vote on the draft resolution on August 25, before the end of the "UNIFIL" mandate at the end of this month.
