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topicnews · October 1, 2024

News from the Middle East: USA – Iran prepares rocket attack against Israel – politics

News from the Middle East: USA – Iran prepares rocket attack against Israel – politics

Unifil: What you need to know about the UN mission between Israel and Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers are deployed in southern Lebanon. They were stationed there in 1978 after Israel invaded the South Lebanon War. Its name is Unifil, short for UN Interim Force in Lebanon. Its mandate is renewed every year by the UN Security Council. An overview of the most important key data of the operation.

Task: Observe the Blue Line

The Blue Line is a border established by the United Nations that separates Lebanon from Israel and the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Russian forces retreated behind this Blue Line when they left southern Lebanon in 2000. Any unauthorized crossing of the Blue Line by land or air by any party constitutes a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

If an incident occurs, Unifil will immediately send additional troops to the appropriate location if necessary to avoid a direct conflict between both sides and to contain the conflict. The mission also liaises with the Israeli and Lebanese military to end a conflict situation without escalation.

Troop strength and area of ​​operation

The area of ​​operation of the UN peacekeepers is bordered in the north by the Litani River and in the south by the Blue Line. According to the Unifil website, more than 10,000 soldiers from 50 countries and around 800 civilian employees are deployed. The Bundeswehr is also involved, for example training the Lebanese army in the fight against arms smuggling.

Resolution 1701

The 2006 resolution allows peacekeepers to assist the regular Lebanese army in keeping the area free of weapons and armed fighters not under the control of the Lebanese state. This has led to tensions with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The Shiite militia de facto controls southern Lebanon – despite the presence of the state army.

Resolution 1701 also directs the peacekeeping mission to “take all necessary measures in the areas of operations of its troops to ensure, within their possibilities, that their area of ​​operations is not used for hostile activities of any kind.” The UN mission is obliged to report any violations of the resolution to the UN Security Council.

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