In the upcoming hours, the United Nations is anticipated to renew the United Nations Interim Force mandate in Lebanon (UNIFIL) operating in the southern region.
The government engaged in challenging negotiations through an official delegation led by the Foreign Minister in New York, which addressed two vital points: the movement of international forces and the situation in the Ghajar village.
The movement of international forces issue, or Article 16, proved particularly contentious.
In 2022, this article was amended to grant UNIFIL the autonomy to carry out its designated tasks independently without prior authorization from the Lebanese side. The Lebanese side initially contested this phrase, but was eventually modified to include "continue coordinating with the Government of Lebanon, as per the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)," while maintaining the independence of implementing UNIFIL's tasks.
The addition of “continue coordinating” was to strike a compromise that satisfied all parties, which several countries, including the United States, the UAE, and the UK, held discretion on Wednesday. The matter postponed the session, at a time when we can say that the diplomatic preparations, including the Lebanese diplomats, are working non-stop in New York.
The second point focused on the situation in the village of Ghajar. Looking back at the renewal decision 2022, Ghajar was mentioned only once when the Security Council urged the Israeli government to expedite its withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar in coordination with UNIFIL.
However, this year's resolution marked significant progress favoring Lebanon. Firstly, the issue of Ghajar was addressed twice: once in the justifications for the renewal and again in the resolution text.
The renewal emphasized Lebanon's right to its land in the Ghajar area, recognizing that Ghajar is originally a Lebanese village, not Syrian, as Lebanon refrains from using the phrase "the outskirts of Al-Mari."
Moreover, where Lebanon's previous attempts fell short, this year's resolution clearly considered Israel's presence in the north of Al-Mari as an ongoing occupation. The text of the resolution read as follows:
"The Security Council expresses concern over the ongoing Israeli presence in the northern part of the village of Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line on the outskirts of the town of Al-Mari, constituting a continuous violation of resolution 1701. The Security Council affirms that the continued construction activities in the area are inconsistent with the necessary withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces."
While the resolution urged Israel to promptly withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line, in the outskirts of Al-Mari, with no delay and in coordination with UNIFIL, another security matter drew attention:
"The Security Council expresses concern over the installation of tents south of the Blue Line in the occupied Chebaa Farms, with individuals crossing from north of the Blue Line to reach the tents, an action viewed by the Secretary-General as a violation of resolution 1701."
These were the core points of contention. Despite the delegation's attempts to prevent the inclusion of political provisions within the resolution, international insistence prevailed.
Hence, the resolution also:
- Called upon political leaders to elect a new president without further delay.
- Expressed the Security Council's concerns regarding the delay in implementing necessary reforms to swiftly reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- Encouraged the resumption of discussions to achieve a national defensive strategy through national dialogue after the election of a new president, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the Taif Agreement.
- Called for an independent, impartial, comprehensive, and transparent investigation, particularly about the Beirut port explosion.
- Urged increased international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces.
This summary provides a glimpse into the extensive resolution over 11 pages. The complete text is available for reference on the LBCI website:
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/lebanon-news/720527/lbci-exclusively-receives-final-draft-for-unifils/en