When we look up the primary missions of UNIFIL, we find one goal that remained relevant and important: ”Restore international peace and security.”
This week
UNIFIL's mandate will be renewed for another year at the UN security council.
In recent
months there has been a hazardous development in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah
returned to the borderline and created a reality similar to what existed until
July 2006 (the Second Lebanon War). UNIFIL forces are moving away from the
borderline. The independence of UNIFIL to carry out patrols along the line is
almost non-existent, and it depends on the Lebanese army's approval or
Hezbollah's approval to patrol the area. Many of the patrols are aerial, and
even when there are findings in them - the Lebanese army does not allow UNIFIL
to document them on the excuse that they are private areas or areas of "strategic
importance" to the Lebanese army.
UN's recent
report from July mentioned twenty-three incidents of disruption of UNIFIL work
(threats, obstructions, and damage to vehicles). At the hands of Hezbollah
personnel defined in the report as "individuals in civilian clothes."
The report also details 11 locations of "Green Without Borders"
Containers and infrastructure near the blue line. UNIFIL failed to mention
these are Hezbollah military infrastructures – though it is clear that this is
the case.
UNIFIL, for
its part, avoided confrontation with Hezbollah operatives and, in most cases,
simply turned around and drove away. It should be noted that according to
UNIFIL's ROLE, it can use force to carry out its mission and that the entire
force is armed, and its soldiers have armored vehicles.
Shortly, the
mandate will be renewed – 10000 soldiers will be put at greater risk following
these developments on the borderline. If the region deteriorates into war -
Hezbollah will use UNIFIL posts and its vehicles as human shields and launch
rockets from or near them.
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