Lebanese President Urges UNIFIL Mandate Extension Amid Israeli Pressure to Withdraw

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met with a parliamentary delegation on Monday, expressing strong support for extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon. He emphasized that UNIFIL's presence is crucial for maintaining stability, helping residents remain in their villages and towns, and working in coordination with the Lebanese army. Aoun stated that if the UNIFIL mandate is not renewed, Lebanon seeks an alternative international force to ensure continued presence and support under legal frameworks alongside its military.

These remarks come amid ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, mediated by the United States, regarding the future of international forces in southern Lebanon. Sources familiar with the talks revealed that Israel and Lebanon have tentatively agreed on Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia as potential contributors to a new mechanism aimed at verifying Hezbollah's disarmament. However, the identity of the body overseeing the Lebanese army's activities remains a key unresolved issue.

President Aoun accused Israel of opposing UNIFIL's presence and exerting pressure for nearly a year to remove the force, while Lebanon insists on its continuation. The United States has also expressed opposition to renewing UNIFIL's mandate but is facilitating cooperation between Israel and Lebanon on a future framework involving a tripartite arrangement. Despite the lack of immediate agreement on the deployment of replacement forces, Aoun called for a breakthrough to guarantee ongoing international presence in southern Lebanon, either through extending UNIFIL's mandate or via alternative international troops.