In a few hours, the Security Council will hold its session dedicated to the renewal of the mandate for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Yesterday, a draft resolution was leaked after the French side handed it over to Lebanon, leading to Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib departing New York feeling satisfied with its contents.
Informed circles confirmed that Lebanon achieved two significant gains: the first pertains to UNIFIL's commitment to "continue coordination with the Government of Lebanon in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement (SoFA)"; the second is related to a request for Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from the northern part of the village of Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line, particularly around the town of Marjayoun, to be conducted in cooperation with UNIFIL through the tripartite committee that meets regularly in Naqoura, which includes Lebanon, Israel, and the United Nations.
The draft includes a welcome for the crucial role played by the Lebanese army and security forces as the only legitimate armed forces in Lebanon, asserting their authority on behalf of the Lebanese government. It urges member states to assist the Lebanese armed forces urgently, as needed, to enable them to perform their duties in accordance with resolution 1701. According to the operational agreement between the Lebanese government and the UN (SoFA), UNIFIL does not require prior permission to undertake its assigned tasks and is authorized to conduct its operations independently.
The Security Council strongly condemns "all attempts to obstruct UNIFIL personnel's access or restrict their freedom of movement, all attacks against UNIFIL personnel and equipment, as well as acts of harassment and intimidation against them and disinformation campaigns." It calls on the Lebanese government to facilitate UNIFIL's immediate and complete access to the sites it requests for rapid investigation, including all locations.
The draft, consisting of ten full pages, references the Taif Agreement, highlighting the importance of "the Lebanese government's authority over all Lebanese territories." It also urges "all Lebanese parties to resume discussions to reach a consensus on a strategy for national defense through national dialogue once a new president is elected, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the Taif Agreement."
The draft expresses "the Security Council's concern over the continued Israeli occupation of the northern part of the village of Ghajar and the adjacent area north of the Blue Line, on the outskirts of Marjayoun, which represents a continuous violation of resolution 1701." It emphasizes that "the ongoing construction in the area contradicts the necessary withdrawal of the Israeli army."
Additionally, the Council indicated its "concern over the installation of tents south of the Blue Line in the occupied Shebaa Farms, near the Bastra farm, with individuals crossing from the northern side of the Blue Line to reach the separating fence," which it considers a violation of resolution 1701.
