"Kuwait News" pointed out that the issue of extending the international forces operating in southern Lebanon, "UNIFIL," continues to worry officials who fear that the Security Council might pass a resolution condemning the practices of "Hezbollah" in the southern Litani area. This could implicitly condemn the Lebanese government, which has supported resistance actions in its ministerial statements. Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, currently in New York, hesitated to attend the United Nations to lead Lebanon's delegation due to a sense of weakness regarding the preparations for the decision being drafted in the council with American, French, and British support. This decision expands the powers and activities of the international forces, going beyond coordination with the Lebanese army and preventing any armed presence in the southern Litani area.
It appears from the atmosphere in New York that there will be no return to the limited powers of these forces, and thus attention will be on the south after the Security Council votes on the extension of international forces in a manner unsuited to Lebanon.
On another note, "Al-Joumhouria" indicated that Bou Habib started his contacts in New York to accompany the movement of positions in the halls of the United Nations regarding the decision to renew the mandate of the international peacekeeping forces operating in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL). He aims to reconsider this new resolution, which is strict in its content and presents challenges against Lebanon's demands to revisit the old resolution 2650 issued on August 31, 2022. This previous resolution entailed UNIFIL patrols operating without the accompaniment of the Lebanese army and halted discussions on several proposals currently under consideration by the Security Council. This pause comes under pressure from the Americans and other powers that still believe Lebanon has failed to fulfill the requirements of resolution 1701 and needs to reconsider many measures to revive its commitments.
These measures require stopping the excessive transgressions of this resolution and related decisions to avoid a series of pitfalls that the international community could raise if chaos continues in the south. They also involve halting all that threatens the safety of international forces and prevents them from carrying out their missions. Sources stated that Bou Habib's task is not easy; however, there are conditions that Lebanese officials need to fulfill to restore international confidence in the state and its institutions. Some of the requirements stem from recent agreements that culminated in maritime demarcation and the commencement of drilling and exploration in "Block 9," coinciding with the issuance of a new license to conduct the necessary surveys in "Block 8," a step that necessitates enhancing security and stability in the south.
