It was in 1978, at the initiative of French General Jean Cuq, that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was created, in response to the escalation of violence between Israel and Lebanon. UNIFIL was then deployed on the ground for the first time, and had nearly 4,000 men.
Since this date, UNIFIL has been present on Lebanese territory. In 2006, the United Nations decided to strengthen UNIFIL, whose number of soldiers was increased to 15,000. At the beginning of October 2024, when the Tsahal launched an invasion operation of Lebanese territory to fight against the terrorist organization Hezbollah, several UNIFIL soldiers are injured by Israeli fire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that the “refusal (on the part of the UN) to evacuate the UNIFIL soldiers in fact hostages of Hezbollah” and puts them in danger.
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What is the mission of UNIFIL?
UNIFIL’s mission is simple: to guarantee the peace and stability of Lebanon. To do this, it works to establish the authority of the Lebanese government on its territory, helps the populations, but above all tries to prevent clashes. It strives to calm relations between Lebanon and its Israeli neighbor, and is deployed along the border between the two countries.
Who makes up UNIFIL?
UNIFIL is made up of soldiers from different countries, and since 2022 it has been commanded by Spanish General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz. UNIFIL personnel currently represent nearly 10,000 soldiers, coming from 49 countries. Indonesia is the largest contributor, with around 1,300 troops. Next come India, Ghana, Malaysia, then Spain and France, with 652 soldiers.
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A contested effectiveness
Since the creation of UNIFIL, nearly 300 of its soldiers have died in Lebanon. The little room for maneuver of the UNIFIL military, its weaknesses in terms of equipment and its inability to prevent conflicts raise questions about the real usefulness of this organization.
Since the start of the Israeli operation in Lebanon, certain UNIFIL soldiers have been confined in bunkers, and have to helplessly watch clashes of which they are sometimes collateral victims.
