UN chief Guterres tours South Lebanon: Calling for Israeli withdrawal by deadline

Report by Bassam Abou Zeid, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israelis closely observed the arrival of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as he visited the border town of Naqoura, home to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was recently vacated by Israeli forces. 

From there, Guterres toured multiple sites along the Blue Line, inspecting UNIFIL positions in the western sector and reviewing the deployment map following the war between Hezbollah and Israel. He also assessed areas still under Israeli occupation.  

The visit comes just ten days before the expiration of the 60-day deadline for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories in southern Lebanon. Guterres met with UNIFIL leadership, including General Aroldo Lázaro, to evaluate the situation, especially as the mission faces increasing scrutiny. 

With a ceasefire monitoring committee in place and the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 under review, UNIFIL's role has become more critical.  

Israel has long criticized UNIFIL, accusing it of leniency toward Hezbollah, including allegations of allowing tunnel construction, weapons storage near UNIFIL sites, and using civilian populations as cover for its operations. 

Meanwhile, Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement, with UNIFIL documenting hundreds of violations.  

During his visit, Guterres delivered a dual message: urging Israel to entirely withdraw from Lebanese territory by the deadline of January 27 and signaling to Hezbollah that the era of armed resistance should be in the past.  

Although Guterres did not meet with the members of the ceasefire monitoring committee or its U.S. chairman during his visit to southern Lebanon, he is aware of the growing coordination between the committee and UNIFIL. He expressed confidence that efforts to implement Resolution 1701 are on track, emphasizing the importance of upholding peace and security in the region.