In a context of growing tensions along the Blue Line separating Lebanon from Israel, controversy has erupted around the role and presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). While Israel calls for the withdrawal of peacekeepers from combat zones, France reaffirms the importance of their mission. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically rejected accusations that Israeli troops deliberately targeted UNIFIL peacekeepers, calling them “completely false.” However, in the face of intensifying fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, Netanyahu urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to “shelter the peacekeepers immediately.”
In the space of two days, five peacekeepers were injured by Israeli fire, and 15 others had to be treated for asphyxiation due to smoke caused by Israeli fire near one of their positions.
In direct contrast to the Israeli position, the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, firmly defended the maintenance of UNIFIL. On the France 5 channel, he declared: “The day the guns fall silent, there will always be this Blue Line, there will be resolution 1701 or a new resolution, there will always be an area for which we will have to assume responsibility. neutralization”. Lecornu stressed that the UNIFIL mission “is intended to remain”, insisting that only the United Nations has the authority to withdraw these forces. This French position is shared by other European countries contributing to UNIFIL. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, also affirmed that there would be “no withdrawal of UNIFIL”. A meeting by videoconference of the contributing European countries (Italy, France, Spain and Ireland) is planned for Wednesday in order to harmonize their positions.
UNIFIL, approximately 10,000 peacekeepers strong, plays a role in maintaining stability along the Israeli-Lebanese border. Its largest contingents come from Indonesia, India, Ghana, Italy and Nepal, with significant contributions from Malaysia, Spain, Ireland and France.
This disagreement between Israel and its European allies over the future of UNIFIL highlights the complexity of the geopolitical situation in the region. As Israel seeks to protect its immediate security interests, European countries emphasize the importance of a continued international presence to maintain long-term stability. This divergence of views could have significant implications for the future of the UN mission and, more broadly, for the security dynamics in the Middle East.
