UNIFIL mandate renewed amid Israel-Lebanon maritime border discussions
The UN Security Council urged acceleration efforts to visibly mark the Blue Line and move forward to revolve the maritime border points of contention
Mandi Kogosowski
| 01/09/2022
UNIFIL mission members on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, February 2022. Photo: Arne Bänsch/dpa via REUTERS
The UN Security Council (UNSA) extended the mandate of UNIFIL for another year on Wednesday, following the request of the Lebanese government. Established in 1978, the mission is mandated “to monitor the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and support the Lebanese authorities in keeping the area south of the Litani River free of unauthorized armed personnel, weapons, or other related assets.”
In the resolution, the Security Council requests the UN Secretary General to set out precise benchmarks and timelines for the “effective and durable” deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon and in the country’s territorial waters. It also “urges the parties to accelerate efforts to visibly mark the Blue Line (the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel) in its entirety and move forward on resolving points of contention.”
US representative Richard M. Mills, said after the unanimous vote that “this is an important reminder that UNIFIL peacekeepers are being blocked — with increasing frequency — from conducting mandated tasks and accessing sites of concern.” Mills added that through the resolution, the Council “has made clear that Hizbullah’s continued amassing of weapons must stop.
Mills pointed to a group called Green Without Borders, saying it is a “so-called environmental group acting on Hezbollah’s behalf” and “heightening tensions” at the border area with Israel.
The maritime border between Israel and Lebanon was also raised during the conversation Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid held with US President Joe Biden yesterday. According to the White House statement following the conversation, Biden “emphasized the importance of concluding the maritime boundary negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in the coming weeks.”
Israel and Lebanon are at odds over a maritime area of several hundred square kilometers in the Mediterranean Sea, which is believed to contain gas reserves. Negotiations to determine the final maritime border between the two countries has been going on for well over a decade, but has accelerated in the past few months.
US envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to visit both countries next week for further discussions. Yesterday, both Al Arabiya and Israeli news website Walla reported that unnamed US senior officials have discussed with them the importance of this topic to the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s Chief Hassan Nasrallah has repeatedly been threatening Israel’s natural gas rigs.
“The State of Israel has declared it would defend its assets, and also that it is willing to reach an understanding with the Lebanese government via US mediation on the maritime water dispute,” said Israel’s Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, last week.
Asked whether an attack be Hezbollah on Israel’s gas fields could lead to war, Gantz responded affirmatively, saying that Israel is “strong and prepared.” However, he stressed that “we don’t want this (war) and think it can be avoided – this is something the State of Lebanon had to take responsibility for.”
The UN Security Council urged acceleration efforts to visibly mark the Blue Line and move forward to revolve the maritime border points of contention
UNIFIL mission members on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, February 2022. Photo: Arne Bänsch/dpa via REUTERS
The UN Security Council (UNSA) extended the mandate of UNIFIL for another year on Wednesday, following the request of the Lebanese government. Established in 1978, the mission is mandated “to monitor the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and support the Lebanese authorities in keeping the area south of the Litani River free of unauthorized armed personnel, weapons, or other related assets.”
In the resolution, the Security Council requests the UN Secretary General to set out precise benchmarks and timelines for the “effective and durable” deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon and in the country’s territorial waters. It also “urges the parties to accelerate efforts to visibly mark the Blue Line (the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel) in its entirety and move forward on resolving points of contention.”
US representative Richard M. Mills, said after the unanimous vote that “this is an important reminder that UNIFIL peacekeepers are being blocked — with increasing frequency — from conducting mandated tasks and accessing sites of concern.” Mills added that through the resolution, the Council “has made clear that Hizbullah’s continued amassing of weapons must stop.
Mills pointed to a group called Green Without Borders, saying it is a “so-called environmental group acting on Hezbollah’s behalf” and “heightening tensions” at the border area with Israel.
The maritime border between Israel and Lebanon was also raised during the conversation Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid held with US President Joe Biden yesterday. According to the White House statement following the conversation, Biden “emphasized the importance of concluding the maritime boundary negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in the coming weeks.”
Israel and Lebanon are at odds over a maritime area of several hundred square kilometers in the Mediterranean Sea, which is believed to contain gas reserves. Negotiations to determine the final maritime border between the two countries has been going on for well over a decade, but has accelerated in the past few months.
US envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to visit both countries next week for further discussions. Yesterday, both Al Arabiya and Israeli news website Walla reported that unnamed US senior officials have discussed with them the importance of this topic to the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s Chief Hassan Nasrallah has repeatedly been threatening Israel’s natural gas rigs.
“The State of Israel has declared it would defend its assets, and also that it is willing to reach an understanding with the Lebanese government via US mediation on the maritime water dispute,” said Israel’s Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, last week.
Asked whether an attack be Hezbollah on Israel’s gas fields could lead to war, Gantz responded affirmatively, saying that Israel is “strong and prepared.” However, he stressed that “we don’t want this (war) and think it can be avoided – this is something the State of Lebanon had to take responsibility for.”
