Following a devastating 15-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah militants focused on southern Lebanon, the November 2024 cessation of hostilities created a fragile calm along the Blue Line separating the two countries.
As members of the UN Security Council negotiate the renewal of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL ) ahead of a 31 August deadline, the mission's future role and capacity are under intense debate.
UNIFIL has long been a stabilising presence in southern Lebanon, working alongside the Lebanese armed forces, mediating between parties, and supporting local communities.
A key part of its mandate is to implement Security Council resolution 1701 , which brought an end to the 2006 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah militants.
Yet challenges remain, from Israeli military positions inside Lebanon to Hezbollah's arsenal and the broader question of how resolution 1701 - which calls for a complete end to hostilities - can be fully implemented.
According to media reports, last-ditch negotiations are underway over the mission's future, with some diplomats warning of risks to border stability and others voicing tepid support or pressing for full withdrawal.
Earlier this week, Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for UNIFIL, sat down with UN News's Nancy Sarkis to discuss the mission's effectiveness, the risks of a non-renewal, and what is at stake for Lebanon, Israel, and regional stability.
This interview has been edited for clarity
UN News: UNIFIL's mandate, which expires at the end of August, needs to be renewed by the UN Security Council. Why is this renewal important, and how do you assess UNIFIL's effectiveness so far?
Andrea Tenenti: The renewal comes after a long crisis that has devastated the region and destroyed most of the areas close to the Blue Line. It would show the importance of maintaining an international peacekeeping operation to assist the Lebanese army [Lebanese Armed Forces, or LAF] in their full deployment.
That's what we have been doing from the very beginning, and in the last several months since November, after the cessation of hostilities, the LAF has brought more troops to the south, and we have been working with them in being deployed in all these positions, although the real challenge at the moment is that we still have Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] positions present in the south of the country.
UN News: To what extent are the Lebanese armed forces ready to assume full responsibility in southern Lebanon without the support of peacekeepers, and what challenges do they face in doing so?
Andrea Tenenti: Right now, the Lebanese army don't have the capacities and capabilities to be fully deployed. There is a financial crisis in the country, and they need capacity and capability support from UNIFIL, and the financial support of the international community to have a sustainable presence and to bring State authority to the south.
The Lebanese army and authorities have demonstrated their full commitment to resolution 1701. However, they cannot be fully deployed if the IDF are still present; the presence of the IDF in the south is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and resolution 1701. There needs to be commitment from both sides.
