France has formally asked the UN Security Council to cancel the decision to dismantle the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and extend its mandate, The Zioneer reports. The United States strongly opposed the request, arguing that the force had failed and would not repeat past mistakes. Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said the decision to wind down UNIFIL has been made and there is no going back.
France has formally requested that the UN Security Council rescind the decision to dismantle the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and extend its mandate, according to The Zioneer. The request was met with staunch opposition from the United States, which argued that the force had failed in its mission and that past mistakes would not be repeated. Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, stated firmly that "the decision has been made, there is no place to go back."
The move is the latest development in a months-long diplomatic struggle over the future of international forces in southern Lebanon. The Zioneer has previously reported on the Israeli defense establishment's deep skepticism of any international force in Lebanon, with a security source quoted by Channel 14 saying such a force "never worked and never will." France has been pushing for an alternative force to replace UNIFIL, including a plan to deploy a European-led mission, while the United States has consistently resisted those efforts.
The United States' blunt rejection of the French request signals that Washington aligns with Israel's long-standing position that UNIFIL has failed to prevent Hezbollah's military buildup south of the Litani River. Israel's position, as articulated by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz in recent months, remains that IDF forces will not withdraw from security zones in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. Ambassador Danon's statement reinforces Israel's determination not to allow the UN framework to remain unchanged.
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