Safeguarding UNIFIL mandate: Lebanon's diplomatic moves amid Israeli pressures

Lebanon fully realizes that Israel is attempting to impose additional conditions and not maintain what was established a year ago regarding the UNIFIL mission, which is up for renewal at the end of August in the United Nations Security Council.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun preparations through a subtle diplomatic campaign with the five permanent member states of the Council and the other ten countries to ensure Lebanon's support in rejecting any amendments to the tasks of the international forces operating in the south.

This also involves dropping the amendments introduced by Tel Aviv with the support of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France last year by passing the clause of freedom of movement for field patrols of the international forces and conducting inspections without prior permission from the Lebanese Army in the southern Litani area.

The Foreign Ministry is working on multiple fronts, with the embassies of the fifteen countries in Lebanon and through Lebanese ambassadors in countries with Lebanese missions. And through the permanent mission at the United Nations Security Council to explain Lebanon's stance in rejecting modifications to UNIFIL's tasks.

The aim is to find a milder formula than the one adopted last year, seeking to secure the support of China and Russia and avoiding any US veto.

This formula does not deviate from the mandatory coordination with the Lebanese Army, and it is described by a diplomatic source as a moderate approach that satisfies Lebanon without provoking Security Council member states.

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not been officially informed about the leaked information regarding Israel's intention to push for expanding UNIFIL's mandate to include Palestinian camps in southern Lebanon. A source within the ministry stated that this is the first time they have heard such statements.

Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib will travel to New York on the 22nd of August to begin consultations with the concerned parties nine days before the renewal session.

The diplomatic delegation will include two diplomats as well as the Lebanese Government Coordinator with UNIFIL, Brigadier General Mounir Chehade, who accompanied diplomats from the five countries on a tour of the border areas in the south from Naqoura to the occupied Shebaa Farms, exposing Israeli violations in thirteen different areas.

So, will Lebanon succeed in convincing the Security Council to adopt its proposal, or will the pressure from influential countries in the Council lean towards the Israeli side, potentially leading to the dismissal of the proposal?