France and Italy have approached the US and Israel seeking to take part in implementing the new understandings with Lebanon, Israel Hayom reports. Concurrently, the UN is exploring options to renew UNIFIL's mission under a different name, despite a Security Council resolution months ago that was meant to wind it down. Israel is unenthusiastic about the idea, particularly regarding the UN and France.
The proposal, as reported by Israel Hayom, focuses on a pilot component of the nascent agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Under the plan, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) would assume responsibility for clearing two designated area cells of Hezbollah presence and maintaining them free of the group. Citing past experience, the report expresses 'great doubt' in the LAF's ability to carry out this mission — and France, Italy, and the UN have offered to assist.
Israel is notably cool to the overture, particularly regarding the UN and France, given UNIFIL's record. The peacekeeping force has been stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978 and, as The Zioneer has previously noted, has never succeeded in keeping the peace or preventing terrorist organizations from entrenching. A Security Council resolution months ago aimed to bring UNIFIL's mandate to an end, but the UN is now seeking ways to circumvent that decision, potentially under a different name. Israel and the US worked to secure that resolution, and the new initiative is seen as an attempt to preserve the mission despite the earlier decision.
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Source and signal
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