Hezbollah Upset: UN Toughens Conditions in South Lebanon

Amendments to UNIFIL’s Mission: A Warning to Hezbollah
Sunday, 11 September 2022  

Freely translated from the original Arabic by Nazeer Rida and published in: 

https://aawsat.com/home/article/3867186/ لبنان-لتطويق-تداعيات-تعديل-مهام-القوات-الدولية-في-الجنوب

Lebanese authorities are trying to contain the fallout from the amendments introduced by the UN to the mission of the peacekeeping United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the south of Lebanon under the terms of resolution 2650. Lebanese authorities are warning of the consequences of this amendment, the first since 2006, with the government requesting the UN to maintain the existing rules of engagement in the field, while Hezbollah forcefully attacked these amendments, and said that they “transform the peacekeeping force into a force of occupation”.

On August 31, the Security Council extended UNIFIL’s term for another year after adopting resolution 2650 for 2022, per the request of the Lebanese government. But the resolution included first-time amendments to the mission of UNIFIL, saying “The Council reiterates that UNIFIL does not require prior authorization or permission from anyone to undertake its mandated tasks, and that it is allowed to conduct its operations independently”. The Security Council “called all parties to guarantee UNIFIL’s freedom of movement, including its ability to conduct announced and unannounced patrols. The Council condemns the harassment and intimidation of UNIFIL personnel, as well as the use of disinformation campaigns against peacekeepers,” it added.

The rules of engagement in place since 2006 stipulate that the Lebanese army accompany UNIFIL patrols in its areas of operation in the south. The peacekeepers had been harassed and attacked by citizens in the past for allegedly taking photos of some locations, and because their vehicles have trespassed onto roads they are prohibited from entering.

Lebanese authorities have sought, year after year, to extend the UNIFIL mission without amendments in the mission or troop numbers or areas of deployment. The position was reiterated by President Michel Aoun last June when he said that Lebanon “is committed to the international forces operating in the south and to the positive role they play”. He said his government has decided to “call on the Security Council to extend the peacekeepers’ term for another year without amendments to their mission, operating rationale, and rules of engagement, allowing them to continue to play a vital role in maintaining regional and even international security”.

The amendments, therefore, came as a surprise to Lebanese authorities, prompting them to raise the tone of their warning of the risks entailed by such a move. Lebanese ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon had “renewed its warning of the risks of such a faulty move, as it could lead to clashes between the residents and the peacekeepers, a situation that Lebanon seeks to avoid by running joint patrols with the Lebanese Army in order to eliminate tensions and pretexts for tensions, thus providing ideal conditions for UNIFIL to carry out its work and play its vital role, which is our goal.”

The ministerial sources, however, have denied any diplomatic demarches with the Security Council, and said there were no preparations in this regard. They also said that Lebanon “draws the attention of the Security Council and the UNIFIL to the matter and warned of its consequences on the relations with the residents, stressing the importance of coordination and cooperation with the Lebanese Army.”

Lebanese Army vehicles often accompany UNIFIL patrols in its areas of operation in the south, and about 430 patrols are conducted every day throughout these areas. But the reduced numbers of Lebanese Army soldiers in the south prevent the Army from escorting UNIFIL in all its patrols. And when UNIFIL’s vehicles were aggressed in the past by the residents, they were not accompanied by Lebanese Army vehicles.

Lebanon is trying to contain the fallout from the amendments by adopting field measures, despite the symbolic nature of the amendments from a political perspective. The government has preemptively addressed the UNIFIL command about the issue to prevent any consequences on the ground. Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Friday, “We agreed with the UNIFIL command that the amendments will not lead to changes in the rules of engagement”, and that “there will be constant exchanges and cooperation with the Lebanese Army”.

Caretaker Defense Minister Maurice Slim met with UNIFIL commander and Head of Mission General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz on Thursday and emphasized that “coordination between UNIFIL and the army was specified in line with resolutions 425, 426 and 1701”, and stressed the need to maintain coordination and cooperation between the two sides to “preserve calm and stability in the South.”

In parallel with the official actions, Hezbollah slammed the changes in the resolution via Iranian Supreme Guide Ali Khamenei’s legal advisor in Lebanon, Sheikh Mohamed Yazbeck, who asked in his first reaction on Friday, “Who are those responsible for the decision of the Security Council to grant UNIFIL freedom of movement, ask the Lebanese parties to facilitate, and remove the need for the Army’s permission to run its announced and unannounced patrols?” Yazbeck added, “this is an abrogation of previous agreements, and a dangerous development that turns the peacekeeping force into an occupation force whose role is to protect the Israeli enemy by tracking people and the resistance”.

Resolution 2650 requires the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the UN Secretary General to define specific criteria and timetables for an effective and permanent deployment of the LAF in south Lebanon and the territorial waters of the country. The Security Council also strongly urged the Lebanese government to rapidly deploy a standard contingent of the LAF in the area of operations. The Council also urged the parties to facilitate efforts to clearly delineate the Blue Line and proceed forward in resolving issues of conflict.

Following repeated clashes with the residents, the Council “condemned the harassment and terrorizing of UNIFIL members, and the use of media campaigns of disinformation against the peacekeepers”. It also asked UNIFIL to take measures to identify and combat the disinformation. The Council expressed its concern vis-à-vis developments along the Blue Line, noting the recent installation of containers that restrict the entry of the peacekeepers into sections of the Blue Line or their ability to view them. It also condemned the presence of unlawful weapons under the control of armed groups in UNIFIL’s areas of operation, in a clear reference to Hezbollah.