Extension of UNIFIL with 13 votes, with Russia and China abstaining from voting

The UN Security Council voted in favor of extending the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for one year, with 13 unanimous votes, with Russia and China abstaining from voting.

The Security Council urged the Government of Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line.

Moreover, the Council reaffirmed the need for the effective, permanent, and rapid deployment of the Lebanese army in southern Lebanon, noting that "UNIFIL operates independently and does not need prior authorization to carry out its tasks."

The Security Council also condemned all violations of the Blue Line by air and land and called upon all parties to respect their international obligations. It then called on the Lebanese government to facilitate UNIFIL's immediate and full access to the locations requested by UNIFIL.

On another note, Lebanon's delegate to the Security Council commented on the resolution: "I renew my country's commitment to implementing UN Resolution 1701. The resolution did not fully reflect Lebanon's concerns and did not take into consideration the specificity of the current reality."

However, China's representative to the United Nations expressed his regret that the reservations of Lebanon, the host country for UNIFIL, were not taken into account in the decision, pointing out that China, which participates in UNIFIL, feels that coordination with the Lebanese army is necessary to maintain peace.

For its part, Russia's representative to the Security Council expressed, "We regret that the text that was adopted did not take into account the reconciliation reached with Lebanon," stressing "the importance of UNIFIL's coordination with the Lebanese army."