Lebanon's Strong Rejection: UNIFIL Mandate Debate Intensifies at the United Nations

In an unprecedented development, Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib, who is currently in New York, emphasized Lebanon's rejection of the circulating proposal to move the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) from Chapter VI to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. 

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last night, it was noted that Chapter VI calls for "the peaceful resolution of conflicts," while Chapter VII "calls for the imposition of Resolution 1701 by force."

 

The stance of the Foreign Minister came at the conclusion of meetings held at the United Nations headquarters, days before the anticipated session of the Security Council later this month to renew UNIFIL's mandate for an additional year.

It is evident that there are clear signs of a tougher US stance accompanying the renewal of UNIFIL's mandate. In the meeting between Bou Habib and the United States Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, she stressed the "U.S. support for securing a strong Security Council mandate to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, so it can fulfill its duties." She also called for "addressing the activities of the organization 'Green Without Borders,' which the United States recently imposed sanctions on, for providing support and cover for Hezbollah's operations in southern Lebanon along the Blue Line."

The evening statement from the Foreign Ministry stated that Bou Habib clearly expressed "Lebanon's rejection of the circulating proposal, as it does not indicate the necessity and importance of coordinating UNIFIL's operations with the Lebanese government, represented by the Lebanese army, as stipulated in the UNIFIL's known Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)."

The Minister reminded that the annual renewal of the international force in the south is done at the request of the Lebanese government, and he emphasized Lebanon's refusal to legitimize the transfer of UNIFIL's mandate from Chapter VI, according to Security Council Resolution 1701 issued in 2006, to Chapter VII.