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After gathering around the famous horseshoe-shaped table, Member States urged de-escalation by both sides and reaffirmed obligations to protect civilians and respect the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. UNIFILE.
Although the force’s mandate is scheduled to end on December 31, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has insisted that peacekeepers would be needed in Lebanon after that date.
He has sent a letter to Council members outlining three possible scenarios involving between 2,000 and more than 5,500 UN personnel who could monitor the ceasefire and support the Lebanese army.
Escalation is still a reality in the southern region
To better understand the situation on the ground, UN News spoke on Tuesday with UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel.
He noted an increase in violence last weekend.
“We have seen more passes fired from both sides. For example, yesterday marked the highest number of passes fired by the Israeli side, the IDF, and the day before it was also at the same level, almost.” Non-state armed groups also continued to fire at Israeli targets from Lebanon, he added.
Large-scale destruction along the Blue Line
The UNIFIL spokesperson noted that the IDF has advanced further into Lebanese territory, while in the south they have carried out massive destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure. “So that forced the people living here to leave their homes and they haven’t been able to return, of course…now, most of the area where we are located is under IDF control.”
UNIFIL seeks to help people who decide to remain by supporting access for humanitarian organizations, and by accompanying aid relief missions.
Pokharel added that “on several occasions, we have also made small-scale donations to meet urgent needs – not only within UNIFIL’s area of operations, but also outside, where people from our area were forced and evacuated, or forced to flee, and most of them are living outside collective shelters.”
Roadblocks and mines create extraordinary conditions for peacekeepers
Mr. Pokharel explained that in areas close to the Blue Line divide, most of the buildings and other infrastructure had been dismantled and destroyed. “Many bridges were targeted, along the Litani River, and peacekeepers encountered many roadblocks as well as mines planted on the roads… this is an extraordinary situation in which we are operating,” he said.
“Peacekeepers who come from distant countries, far from their homes, families, friends, who spend time here facing difficult times in southern Lebanon have to stay in bunkers for days, even weeks,” said a UNIFIL spokesperson.
“In the aftermath of the latest escalation, there were situations where they were unable to refill their positions, some of them were left without food, or fresh food or water, for days…we’ve been through all this.”
He recalled that six UNIFIL peacekeepers “died while carrying out their duties in southern Lebanon for the sake of peace and stability” since hostilities began on March 2.
