Report: U.N. Security Council Unanimously Agrees Renewal of UNIFIL Term
The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved on Friday the renewal of the term of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.
It said that the agreement was reached after closed-door consultations over the situation in southern Lebanon.
All members agreed to the renewal, which will extend to the end of August 2016.
The members urged international support for each of the Lebanese army and international peacekeeping force, added the daily.
They also called for continued cooperation between the army and UNIFIL, urging all concerned sides to halt hostile acts and prevent any violation of the Blue Line border that separates Lebanon from Israel.
Moreover, they demanded the Israeli government speed up the withdrawal of its army from north of the occupied Ghajar village in coordination with UNIFIL.
The Security Council members underlined the importance of achieving comprehensive, just, and permanent peace in the Middle East in accordance with all international resolutions, said al-Joumhouria.
UNIFIL was created by Security Council resolutions 425 and 426 of March 19, 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese government in restoring its effective authority in the area.
Following the July 2006 conflict, the Security Council, by its resolution 1701, significantly enhanced UNIFIL’s mandate and capacity and assigned it additional tasks working closely with the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon.
Today, UNIFIL comprises almost 12,000 troops from 38 countries and it is supported by over 1,000 civilian national and international staff. This includes about 800 naval personnel of the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force deployed along the Lebanese coast.
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