In Lebanon, the planned withdrawal of UN peacekeepers could heighten tensions in the country’s south and create a security vacuum. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix urged the Security Council to determine what mechanism should replace the UNIFIL mission, Anadolu Agency reports.
After a trip to the Middle East, Lacroix told reporters that Lebanese officials had expressed concern about the possible loss of a third-party presence. According to him, it helped avoid misunderstandings and maintain channels of communication between the Lebanese army and the Israel Defense Forces.
Lacroix questioned the possibility of leaving the Lebanese army and the Israel Defense Forces without a third party. He also stressed the risk of unintentional escalation after the peacekeepers’ departure.
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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has for decades monitored the situation along the Blue Line, reported violations and facilitated humanitarian access in the country’s south.
According to Lacroix, about 10,000 people still live between Israel’s forward defensive line and the Blue Line. He stressed that UNIFIL’s departure would leave a gap not only in monitoring but also in coordinating humanitarian convoys.
Israel, backed by the United States, supports ending the mission. At the same time, the UN has not yet received clear instructions from the Security Council on the possible format of a future presence. According to Lacroix, withdrawal plans have already been prepared, but may be adjusted if a UN presence is agreed in the future.
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