Israel opposes keeping international troops in southern Lebanon
Israel opposes maintaining a significant international military presence in southern Lebanon after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends. Israel's permanent representative to the UN, Danny Danon, said this on September 8 in New York, United States, The National reports.
According to Danon, Israel believes that the Lebanese army should ensure security at the border. He stated that the UN Security Council's decision to end UNIFIL's mandate on December 31 must be implemented, and that attempts by certain countries to extend the mandate are a mistake.
Israel's position
The Israeli diplomat said he had expected proposals for a limited international presence after the UNIFIL mission ends. At the same time, he said, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix had spoken of the possibility of leaving more than 5,000 servicemembers on the ground.
Danon stated that such an approach would effectively mean preserving the current model. He also claimed that the prolonged presence of international forces would make it more difficult for Lebanon to exercise its sovereignty. According to him, Israel and the United States explained their position on ending the UNIFIL mission.
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Israel's representative added that his country seeks to engage directly with the Lebanese military on border security issues. He cited examples of Israel's contacts with the militaries of Egypt and Jordan, as well as a mechanism for directly discussing issues with Syria.
France and Italy's initiative
In June, France and Italy announced a joint initiative to create an international coalition to replace UNIFIL in coordination with the EU and NATO. It is supported by the Lebanese authorities, but Israel objects to such a format amid hostilities with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
France's ambassador to the UN, Jérôme Bonnafont, previously said that the options under consideration include a force led by European countries or a combination of UN support and a coalition. He noted that a new arrangement would have to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and be based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
Danon stated that Israel would object less to the deployment of foreign military personnel in other parts of Lebanon to train the Lebanese army. At the same time, he called the presence of troops near the Israeli border a sensitive issue for Israel.
