Ahead of Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib's trip to New York to follow up on the renewal of the International Peacekeeping Forces operating in southern Lebanon, communications and coordination intensified between him, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and other political forces. This year, they are approaching the matter differently to avoid the mistakes made last year after amendments to UNIFIL's mandate allowed it to "carry out its assigned tasks without prior permission and to conduct its operations independently."
According to informed sources, "efforts to restore UNIFIL's powers to their original form are ongoing and being pursued vigorously." According to "Al-Akhbar," it was reported that there was political and official agreement to request the Foreign Ministry to reject the French draft that arrived in Lebanon, which did not include any retraction of the amendment. On the contrary, it stated that "UNIFIL could expand its movements without requiring coordination and cooperation with the Lebanese Army, contrary to what previous international resolutions stipulated." The draft also included "worse additions regarding UNIFIL's operations in the southern areas, including issues related to the tensions in the Ghajar area," confirming the diplomatic battle's approach from various political, security, and military angles.
Sources pointed out that "daily meetings are held at the Foreign Ministry for this purpose," emphasizing the necessity for Lebanon to present a unified official stance to prevent exploitation of this gap and further amendments from being imposed, especially since there is a tendency in some decision-making capitals and within the missions' offices in New York to pursue this.
It was noted that the French side is attempting in side communications to convince Lebanon to maintain the same format and add a new clause or clarify the existing clause regarding the need for coordination with the Lebanese Army in all steps of the international forces. The French believe that the resolution has not been implemented at all, and that the leadership of the international force coordinated matters with everyone, especially with Hezbollah, with the Spanish commander informing Hezbollah that he would not be drawn into any actions leading to confrontations or tensions.
As for Israel, it is requesting through its messages and communications further strictness, considering that Hezbollah has redeployed its military presence in the area of UNIFIL's operations as it was before the 2006 aggression, and has even increased the pace of its quasi-public military activity there.
