Hezbollah has repeatedly said it will not stop attacking Israel until a ceasefire begins in Gaza. UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, continues to fulfil its duty in Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Beirut

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is maintaining its peacekeeping operations in Lebanon amid increasing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah has declared its intention to continue attacks on Israel until a ceasefire is established in Gaza. This situation places UNIFIL in a challenging position as it seeks to fulfill its mandate in the region despite the growing hostilities.



UNIFIL stands firm in Lebanon despite escalating hostilities

We are with Italian soldiers, the second largest contingent in the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL. Their base in southern Lebanon is a few kilometers from the border with Israel. Since the war on Gaza began in October, the peacekeepers have been in the middle of an escalating conflict here. There's been daily exchanges of fire since the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah opened a front line against Israeli forces to support Palestinians in Gaza. The UNIFIL duty continue and carry out as usual according with the 1701 resolution. What changed was our posture that was set up in accordance with the instability of the period. UN resolution 1701 was adopted following the last war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. It tasked UNIFIL with helping Lebanon's army and the presence of armed groups such as Hezbollah up to 20 kilometers from Israel's border. It never happened and Israel is now threatening a wider conflict until it does. But Lebanon's government says Israel must first stop violating Lebanese sovereignty and withdraw from disputed areas along the border. UN diplomats have presented proposals to bring an end to the hostilities along the border, but they have said it is no longer enough to return to the relative calm and stability that prevailed before October. That would involve a political process based on the full implementation of UN resolution 1701. That should involve a beefed up presence of Lebanon's army in the south, which is not involved in this conflict. The army faces financial and logistical challenges to carry out its tasks, but there's also a lack of political will. Western powers are proposing to help strengthen the army so that it can deploy in numbers and serve as a buffer force to restore stability. So 1701 in terms of support to the Lebanese army is ongoing. That's a long process and that's what the international community is trying to do, to bring more Lebanese army to the south of Lebanon. Of course there needs to be a settlement to this conflict, but Hezbollah is refusing to come to the negotiating table as long as the war on Gaza continues. Zaina Khadr al-Jazeera, Southern Lebanon.

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