Israel has formally lodged a request for an end to the U.N.'s peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with the United States, as the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) begins the yearly debate for the renewal of the mandate.
After American and Israeli officials had already agreed on a joint demand to end UNIFIL's mandate over its failure to combat Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar sent a formal letter detailing Israel's reasons for the request to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israel Hayom reported on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the UNSC kicked off its deliberations ahead of a planned vote on Aug. 25 by debating a French proposal that seeks to extend the mandate, without a clear end date.
According to Reuters, the proposed resolution would "extend the mandate of UNIFIL until August 31, 2026," but "indicates its intention to work on a withdrawal of UNIFIL."
The withdrawal would take place on the condition that the Lebanese government is the "sole provider of security in southern Lebanon ... and that the parties agree on a comprehensive political arrangement."
The French proposal also calls for "enhanced diplomatic efforts to resolve any dispute or reservation pertaining to the international border between Lebanon and Israel."
Asked about the draft, a U.S. State Department spokesman responded, "We don't comment on ongoing UN Security Council negotiations."
According to Israel Hayom, in Sa'ar's letter, he reiterated the main argument that UNIFIL has failed in its core mission of maintaining peace in southern Lebanon, particularly for not raising the alarm over Hezbollah's entrenchment and military buildup or taking effective action to address it.
The foreign minister also accused UNIFIL of not simply failing to combat Hezbollah, but of actively and intentionally presenting a misleading picture of the situation to the UNSC.
Israel's war against Hezbollah in 2024 and the resulting significantly weakened position within Lebanon "present a historic opportunity" to achieve this goal, Sa'ar noted – namely, to disarm the terror group while supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in asserting full sovereignty over Lebanon's territory.
"The force was intended to be temporary from the outset and has failed in its fundamental task – to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River," Sa'ar argued, calling for UNIFIL's mandate to be terminated immediately.
Alternatively, he proposed extending the mandate for a period of six months up to a year, stipulating the orderly disbandment of UNIFIL while allowing the LAF to take over its positions in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, UNIFIL could focus on clearing explosives and mines, training the LAF, and organizing its withdrawal.
The foreign minister and his U.S. colleague, Rubio, who is currently also serving as national security advisor, are set to meet next week when Sa'ar visits Washington.
Republished with permission from All Israel News.