Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has proposed enhancing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Speaking on the sidelines of a G7 defense summit on Saturday, Borrell highlighted the need for a more robust role for UNIFIL but noted that any expansion would require a decision by the United Nations Security Council.
On the social media platform X, Borrell emphasized the importance of taking significant steps in Lebanon, including “an immediate ceasefire” and “a stronger mandate for UNIFIL forces.”
He wrote, “There is a new political context in Lebanon, fraught with risks, but it also could lead to changes. The most crucial aspect is the potential for the country to finally build its full sovereignty, which is undermined by external actors.”
Borrell called for the implementation of Resolution 1701, established to cease hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah after their destructive conflict in the summer of 2006.
A UNIFIL spokesperson mentioned that the force in southern Lebanon had been deliberately targeted several times. Resolution 1701 strengthened the presence of UNIFIL and tasked it with monitoring the ceasefire between the parties.
UNIFIL forces are deployed between the Litani River and the Lebanese-Israeli border, with their headquarters located at Ras Naqoura on the border.
