Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday warned against ending the United Nations peacekeepers’ mandate in the country’s south, after the UN Security Council began debating extending their mission.
Israel and the United States, which wields a veto on the Security Council, have reportedly opposed the renewal, which is expected by the end of this month.
“Any timetable for the mandate of UNIFIL that is different from the actual needs will negatively impact the situation in the south, which still suffers from Israeli occupation,” Aoun told force commander Diodato Abagnara, according to a presidency statement.
Aoun said Beirut “has begun contacts with Security Council member states, and brotherly and friendly countries, to ensure the extension” of UNIFIL’s mandate. He cited Lebanon’s need for the force to help “maintain security and stability in the south” and to support the army following the government’s decision to increase troop numbers there to 10,000 personnel.
