The UN Security Council voted to end the mission of the United Nations temporary forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) by the end of 2026, after about five decades of its deployment in southern Lebanon, after pressure exerted by the administration of US President Donald Trump on its European allies.
The unanimous decision came at a critical time for Lebanon, which is still recovering from the devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah last year, a war that left large areas of the south in a state of ruin despite the ceasefire signed in November.
American pressure and French settlement
Washington had initially insisted on ending the mission of UNIFIL within one year, considering that the forces no longer achieve the desired goal, according to what Lebanese and Western diplomats revealed. But the United States later accepted a French settlement stipulating the extension of the mission until the end of 2026, which paved the way for the decision on Thursday.
The text of the decision stated that the council “decides to extend the UNIFIL state for the last time in preparation for an organized and safe withdrawal of its forces from the end of next year,” stressing that the Lebanese army will be the only force responsible for maintaining security in the south after that date.
The role of the Lebanese army and Hezbollah
The ceasefire agreement, signed last November, stipulates the withdrawal of Hezbollah members north of the Litani River, 30 kilometers from the United Nations border, to make way for the Lebanese army to take over security responsibility.
UNIFIL has since cooperated with the Lebanese army in the dismantling of more than 500 Hezbollah establishments, which included ammunition, tunnels and booby -trapped hideouts.
But Lebanese officials believe that the army’s capabilities are not sufficient to control the south without international support. One of them said: “The United States asks us to control the south and remove Hezbollah, but at the same time it withdraws one of the most important allies who helped us to do so.”
UNIFIL mission through contracts
UNIFIL forces were established in 1978 to monitor Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon after its first invasion. Over time, its mission has turned into monitoring the activities of Israel and Hezbollah in the south and documenting any violations of the border blue line.
After the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, the role of UNIFIL to support the Lebanese army in controlling the south expanded, but this agreement was not fully implemented.
Currently, the forces include about 11,000 soldiers and equipment from 48 countries, which made them one of the most prominent United Nations peacekeeping tasks in the Middle East.
Criticism from all parties
UNIFIL has been repeatedly criticized by the disputed parties. Israel accused it of overlooking Hezbollah’s activities, while the party in turn criticized its existence and considered it a Western tool.
During the military escalation last year, the Israeli forces targeted the rules of UNIFIL, which resulted in the injury of soldiers and the destruction of infrastructure, and some soldiers lost their lives as a result of attacks of some of them to Hezbollah.
United Nations position
Before the vote, the power spokesman, Andrea Tintente said: “UNIFIL is more important today than it was in the past. Lebanon has an opportunity to restore the authority of the state in the south and we help them in that, but it takes time to build a strong army.”
United Nations Secretary -General Antonio Guterres warned that the withdrawal of the forces should take place in an organized manner to avoid a security vacuum that may re -ignite the conflict in the south.
International differences and future challenges
Russia and China expressed their concern about the decision, and they saw that ending the mission threatens Lebanon and the region, while European countries confirmed that they tried to reach a compromise that guarantees a gradual transfer of responsibilities.
On the other hand, Washington insists that the continuation of UNIFIL is a waste of resources, and that its presence delays the strengthening of the role of the Lebanese army in the face of Hezbollah.
The future of southern Lebanon
As the withdrawal date approaches at the end of 2026, fears of Lebanon’s ability to fill the security void increases. The Lebanese government announced this month its approval of a plan to disarm Hezbollah, but it recognized that its application would be much more difficult without the support of UNIFIL.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues to occupy five points inside Lebanese territory along the border. According to reports issued by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, the largest part of the destruction in southern Lebanon occurred after the signing of the ceasefire in November, which reflects the fragility of the security situation and the absence of guarantees to continue stability.
