Austrian Defence Minister Tanner and European Consensus on Continuation of UNIFIL Mission in Lebanon
The UNIFIL mission in Lebanon, which has been in operation since 1978, is to continue despite increasing attacks. The European troop contributors reaffirm their support to ensure stability and humanitarian aid.
After the video conference, Austria's Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner emphasized that the European countries are united in continuing the UNIFIL mission despite the attacks. / Picture: © Bundesheer Events / Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Following a video conference with the 16 European countries contributing troops to the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon, Austria's Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner reported on the unity to continue the mission, as reported by ORF. Despite the increasing attacks on the UN blue helmets, the EU countries emphasized their joint determination to continue the mission. Around 160 Austrian soldiers are currently stationed in Lebanon as part of UNIFIL. Tanner warned that a withdrawal or non-fulfillment of the mandate would jeopardize the credibility of the United Nations, especially in this critical phase.
For months, the UNIFIL mission, which operates along the so-called “Blue Line” between Israel and Lebanon, has been the target of repeated attacks. Most recently, there were several incidents in which Israeli forces fired on UNIFIL positions, resulting in injuries among the blue helmets, as reported by Vindobona.org. The Lebanese Hezbollah militia is also involved in the attacks, further destabilizing the situation. UNIFIL warns of the dangerous development and emphasizes that despite the precarious security situation, the mission will continue to carry out its tasks as long as possible.
UNIFIL's mandate and role on the ground
The UNIFIL mission was established in 1978 to restore security in southern Lebanon after Israel's invasion and to help the Lebanese government assert its authority. The mandate was extended several times, particularly after the 2006 conflict, to support the Lebanese army in securing the area and monitoring compliance with the ceasefire. More than 10,000 soldiers from 50 countries are patrolling along the 120-kilometer “Blue Line” to prevent possible escalations and document violations of international law.
Tanner calls for an end to violence.
Tanner appealed to the parties to the conflict to end the fighting and to stop misusing UNIFIL as a target, as reported by ORF. “UNIFIL must not become a shield for Hezbollah or a target for the Israeli army,” she emphasized. She underlined the importance of the mission as a neutral observer in documenting the situation in the area of operations. UNIFIL also plays an important role in providing humanitarian support, for example in supplying water to the local population, and in cooperating with the Lebanese army.
European support remains in place.
The European countries, which provide around a third of the UNIFIL troops, reaffirmed their support for the mission in the video conference. Cooperation with the Lebanese army and ensuring stability in southern Lebanon remain core tasks that must be fulfilled to enable long-term peace. UNIFIL is also an important instrument of de-escalation and provides a platform for indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, which helps to minimize the risk of escalation.
By continuing the mission, the European states are underlining their support for the United Nations and its peace efforts in the Middle East. The presence of the blue helmets therefore remains a central pillar in promoting lasting peace and strengthening the sovereignty of the Lebanese state.