UNIFIL troops
Photo: AP
Gov’t approves UNIFIL mandate extension
Israel agrees to extend mandate of UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon; Security Council expected to decide on issue later in week
The government agreed Sunday to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) according to United Nations resolution 1701. The UN Security Council is expected to decide on the issue at the end of the week.
At the moment, the UN does not intend on expanding the mandate to include the closure of the Lebanese-Syrian border, or the enforcement of the embargo on smuggling weapons to Hizbullah.
Aharon Abramovitch, Foreign Ministry director-general, briefed cabinet members on talks being held ahead of the UN Security Council vote, based on the draft resolution by the United States and France.
Foreign Ministry representatives have been conducting talks with the US and France in an attempt to insert clauses in the resolution, which would strengthen Israel’s position.
Israel has requested that the resolution declare the situation in Lebanon as a threat to the region and world peace. Foreign Ministry representatives have also pushed for the resolution to declare the area between the border and the Litany River “free of weapons and terror”.
Israel also demanded a clause calling for the release of the kidnapped soldiers, or alternately, a sign of life from them.
According to Abramovitch’s briefing, Israel had no intention of backing down from previous decisions regarding the mandate or resolution 1701, despite the fact that its demand to stop arms smuggling to Hizbullah from Syria had yet to be accepted.
