The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, suggested on Saturday strengthening the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and has accused the Israeli army of deliberately targeting its positions.
According to Borrell, UNIFIL is currently unable to intervene between Hezbollah and Israel.
"They cannot act autonomously; it is clearly a limited role. We could consider extending this role, but that requires a decision from the United Nations Security Council", Borrell told reporters during a G7 defense ministers' meeting in Naples, Italy.
This statement comes as the multinational force recently accused Israeli army of deliberately targeting its positions, further exacerbating the challenges it faces in fulfilling its peacekeeping mandate in southern Lebanon.
Borrell also outlined his priorities for Lebanon on his X account, including "an immediate ceasefire" and "a more robust mandate for UNIFIL".
"There is a new political context in Lebanon, full of dangers, but one that could also bring changes. The most important thing is the possibility for the country to finally build full sovereignty, undermined by external actors", he wrote.
He also called for the implementation of United Nations Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah and stipulates that only UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army should be deployed in southern Lebanon, along the border with Israel.
For her part, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a visit to Beirut on Friday, had firmly condemned the attacks on peacekeepers, calling them "unacceptable". She also advocated for strengthening UNIFIL.
"Only by reinforcing UNIFIL and maintaining its impartiality can we turn the page on this conflict", she stated after talks with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
With AFP
Comments