Lebanon, France Host Security Talks Amid UNIFIL Mandate End

1:47 PM ETDeveloping

World Desk

In Short: International leaders met in Paris to discuss bolstering Lebanon's security and addressing the impending end of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon.

International leaders gathered in Paris on Thursday for security talks aimed at bolstering Lebanon's sovereignty and stability, according to AFP. The discussions included chiefs of defense staff from Lebanon, Jordan, France, Britain, and Italy, as well as top US and Saudi officials.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the importance of a sovereign Lebanon, stating that it is a critical step towards regional peace and stability. He highlighted the need for a clear, credible, and realistic framework for the Lebanese armed forces' deployment plan.

The talks also addressed the creation of a new force to succeed the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which has been operating in the region for nearly five decades. UNIFIL's mandate is set to expire this year, raising concerns about a potential security vacuum.

Amid escalating Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, the Paris meeting also focused on the need to disarm Hezbollah, a key condition for Israel's withdrawal from the region. However, the US and Israel have not signaled support for extending UNIFIL's mandate.

The officials in Paris discussed options for a new international mission, backed by France and Italy, operating outside a UN mandate, as well as a possible EU-led mission, focusing on training, equipment, and intelligence sharing for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

What's confirmed

Macron welcomed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and King Abdullah II of Jordan to Paris for the talks.

What's still developing

Macron said that the talks aimed to "strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and enable it to fully ensure its security", after years during which political factions, such as the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, wielded greater authority than the Lebanese state.
Paris said it wanted this as a prerequisite for what it hopes will be "robust" international support, whether in the form of financial assistance, equipment or training.
The United States will be represented by a senior military official involved in Middle East security issues, the Reuters news agency reported.
On Wednesday night, Israeli forces carried out a series of attacks across southern Lebanon, according to the country’s National News Agency.
Meanwhile, Israeli air attacks killed at least 13 people, including six children, in a town in southern Lebanon last week, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, in one of the deadliest days of Israeli bombardment in ‌recent weeks.
Paris said it wanted the “operational context, parameters and modalities” of the deployment to be clarified at Thursday’s discussions, as a prerequisite for what it hopes will be “robust” international support for the Lebanese forces.
Fears of a renewed Israeli military campaign are growing in Lebanon after escalating attacks, despite a “ceasefire” that was intended to halt Israeli aggression and allow the thousands of displaced people in Lebanon to return home.
The meetings come after Israel and Lebanon held ⁠several rounds of US-brokered talks aimed at easing tensions along their border.

Sources

Al Jazeeralink