Lebanon rejects UNSC draft resolution to renew UNIFIL mandate

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
26 Aug 2023 00:03
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Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib rejects the United Nations Security Council's draft resolution on renewing the UNIFIL force mandate, citing the resolution not mentioning the need for coordination with the Lebanese army as a pretext.

A general view of a base of the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the southern village of Markaba, Friday, April 7, 2023 (AP)

The Lebanese Foreign Minister in the caretaker government, Abdullah Bou Habib, announced Lebanon's rejection of the draft resolution put forward by the United Nations Security Council regarding the renewal of the UNIFIL force's mandate.

Bou Habib explained that the draft "does not refer to the necessity and importance of UNIFIL coordinating its operations with the Lebanese government, represented by the Lebanese army."

The Foreign Minister affirmed Lebanon's refusal to legitimize the transfer of UNIFIL's mandate from Chapter VI, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 of 2006, which calls for resolving the conflict by peaceful means, to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which calls for imposing the resolution by force.

"Recognizing the land borders contributes to putting an end to the ongoing tensions," Bou Habib said.

Lebanon had called during the tripartite meetings, which are being held in Naqoura under the auspices of the United Nations, to complete the talks on addressing the controversial and reserved points related to Lebanon's southern borders; however, the Israeli side did not respond.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission is set to expire on August 31, 2023, and as such, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has begun discussions to renew the UNIFIL missions in Lebanon.

However, the UNSC has been seeking to implement certain changes pertaining to the extent and limitations of UNIFIL activities in Lebanon as those are bound, for now, by a certain agreement between Lebanon through its Armed Forces and the UNSC.

In a new report published by the Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, it was revealed that Lebanon's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Abdullah Bou Habib was two days late to join the UNSC meetings debating the decision to extend the UNIFIL mission on August 31st.