Aoun Reiterates Desire to Complete UNIFIL Mission to Irish Defense Minister, Welcomes Alternative European Force if Mandate Extension Fails

Beirut – Mansour Shaaban The Israeli military has continued its operations against targeted areas in southern Lebanon, which have not ceased despite the shift in attention toward the Knesset elections, while political meetings and contacts persist. During his meeting with Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Helen McEntee, President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, reaffirmed Lebanon’s desire for the international forces operating in the south (UNIFIL) to complete their operational mission.

Given the importance of its presence in the south to monitor developments on the one hand, and to assist the Lebanese Army when it deploys to the international southern border following Israel’s withdrawal, as well as the significance of the humanitarian, social, and health missions carried out by UNIFIL to help the residents of southern villages who welcome the presence of peacekeepers on their land.

According to a statement from the Lebanese Presidency, President Joseph Aoun pointed out that “in the event of no response to Lebanon’s request to extend UNIFIL’s mandate, Lebanon welcomes the participation of any European force under a formula agreed upon with the European Union or with the relevant countries in cooperation with the United Nations, because any vacuum in the south resulting from UNIFIL’s departure is feared to have negative repercussions on regional stability.” He considered that “the logistical and technical support that an alternative force to UNIFIL could provide would have a positive impact in facilitating the mission of the Lebanese Army and the life of southern society.”

Aoun stated that “Israel has not complied with the agreement reached in Washington negotiations, and it continues its attacks on southern villages and towns through shelling, destruction, and bulldozing of homes.” He noted that “communications conducted by Lebanon with the United States, as the guarantor of the agreement, to put an end to these attacks, have so far yielded no results; indeed, Israel is erecting obstacles to the implementation of the agreement, which further complicates matters and prevents the Lebanese Army from extending state sovereignty up to the international border, preventing armed manifestations, and restoring stability.”

President Aoun indicated that “Lebanon looks to the support of friendly countries, including Ireland, to pressure Israel to halt its attacks, withdraw from the south, return Lebanese prisoners, and enable the state to rebuild destroyed villages and towns and return their inhabitants.”

For her part, Minister McIntyre affirmed to President Aoun “Ireland’s continued participation in peacekeeping operations in the south, support for the Lebanese Army and Lebanese civil society, as well as cooperation with administrative and public institutions to provide the assistance Lebanon needs.”

In her meeting with Justice Minister Adnan Nasser, the Irish minister answered a question regarding her country’s participation in a European mission in Lebanon after UNIFIL’s mandate ends at the end of the current year by saying, “We have great interest in the civilian aspect of this mission, and we are fully determined that, as one phase of our current mission concludes, we will be ready to remain and participate in the second phase.” She added, “We also wish to cooperate with the United Nations to determine whether there could be a discussion on the possibility of applying another type of engagement.”

Subsequently, McIntyre met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Youssef Raji in his office, where they expressed “concern over the security vacuum that will be left by UNIFIL’s departure from the south,” and she asked about “the role that the European Union, which her country currently presides over, could play.”

Domestically, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Ra’i, during his reception of Major General Pierre Farah, head of Lebanese Army Intelligence in Mount Lebanon, praised the role of the military institution and the sacrifices of its personnel, stating that “the Army is the dignity of the nation” and that protecting the state and its legitimate institutions constitutes the fundamental guarantee of Lebanon’s unity and sovereignty.