What is UNIFIL?

The United Nations peacekeeping unit has been successful Lebanon since 1978, but contiguous they are threatened by Israel.

The Israeli subject has fired connected the United Nations Interim Force successful Lebanon (UNIFIL), planetary peacekeepers successful Lebanon, according to a UN statement.

“This morning, 2 peacekeepers were injured aft an IDF [Israeli army] Merkava vessel fired its limb toward an reflection operation astatine UNIFIL’s office successful Naqura [Naqoura], straight hitting it and causing them to fall,” a UNIFIL spokesperson said connected Sunday.

Israel confirmed its “military presence” successful the area, claiming that it was engaging with Hezbollah fighters who were adjacent the UN positions.

What is UNIFIL?

UNIFIL is simply a peacekeeping ngo established by the UN Security Council (UNSC) successful March 1978, days aft Israel invaded Lebanon.

The UNSC passed Resolutions 425 and 426, calling connected Israel to retreat from Lebanon. They besides decided to acceptable up UNIFIL.

According to the determination that acceptable it up, UNIFIL was deployed to Lebanon to fulfil 3 objectives: “Confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces, restoring planetary bid and security, assisting the Government of Lebanon successful ensuring the instrumentality of its effectual authorization successful the area”.

Because UNIFIL’s country of absorption is successful the southbound of Lebanon, adjacent the Israel border, it is contiguous successful respective locations traditionally associated with the almighty Lebanese radical Hezbollah.

So are they soldiers?

No.

The idiosyncratic peacekeepers whitethorn person been soldiers successful their location country. But connected peacekeeping missions, they bash not prosecute successful combat.

Peacekeepers person to stay impartial and tin lone beryllium contiguous with the consent of the federation to which they are deployed.

According to the UN: “Today’s multidimensional peacekeeping operations … not lone support bid and information but besides facilitate the governmental process, support civilians, assistance successful the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of erstwhile combatants, enactment the organisation of elections, support and beforehand quality rights and assistance successful restoring the rule of law.”

How large is UNIFIL?

UNIFIL comprises much than 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 nations. As of September 2, they were:

• Indonesia – 1,231
• Italy – 1,068
• India – 903
• Nepal – 876
• Ghana – 873
• Malaysia – 833
• Spain – 676
• France – 673
• China – 418
• Ireland – 370
• Republic of Korea – 294
• Poland – 213
• Finland – 205
• Cambodia – 185
• Serbia – 182
• Austria – 165
• Greece – 131
• Sri Lanka – 126
• Tanzania – 125
• Bangladesh – 120
• Germany – 112
• Turkey – 92
• El Salvador – 52
• Moldova – 32
• Brunei – 29
• Hungary – 15
• Brazil – 11
• Malta – 9
• Republic of North Macedonia – 5
• Mongolia – 4
• Argentina, 3
• Kenya – 3
• Latvia – 3
• Sierra Leone – 3
• Cyprus – 2
• Guatemala – 2
• Zambia – 2
• Armenia – 1
• United Kingdom – 1
• Colombia -1
• Croatia – 1
• Estonia – 1
• Fiji – 1
• Kazakhstan – 1
• Malawi – 1
• The Netherlands – 1
• Nigeria – 1
• Peru – 1
• Qatar – 1
• Uruguay – 1

It besides has astir 800 civilian unit worldwide.

Where is it successful Lebanon?

In the south.

UNIFIL’s beingness stretches from the Litani River to the Blue Line.

That country is 1,060sq km (409sq miles), passim which UNIFIL has 50 positions. Its office are successful Naqoura successful the southwest.

A UN armoured conveyance passes by Camp Shamrock, wherever Irish and Polish UNIFIL peacekeepers are stationed adjacent Maroun al-Ras colony successful southbound Lebanon adjacent the Israeli border, November 29, 2023 [Aziz Taher/Reuters]

What’s the Blue Line?

Established successful 2000, the Blue Line is simply a 120km (75-mile) “border” drawn up by the UN betwixt Lebanon and Israel.

Its main intent is to corroborate the withdrawal of the Israeli service from Lebanese territory arsenic mandated by UNSC Resolutions 425 and 426.

So however does it work?

According to its ngo and to support the bid on the Blue Line, Israeli and Lebanese authorities are required to supply UNIFIL with beforehand notification for immoderate activities successful its vicinity.

This includes regular attraction enactment and information operations.

This protocol helps UNIFIL efficaciously show and negociate the delicate borderline region.

Spanish UNIFIL peacekeepers coordinate their patrol with the Lebanese army, successful Marjayoun successful southbound Lebanon connected October 8, 2024 [AFP]

Was it conscionable successful 1978 that UNIFIL had to act?

No, determination person been a fewer wars that UNIFIL worked through.

In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon again, going each the mode northbound to Beirut and occupying each of the south.

Until the penetration ended successful 1985, UNIFIL was down the Israeli lines, constricted successful its relation to protecting the radical successful the southbound and providing humanitarian assistance wherever possible.

In 2006, Israel entered southbound Lebanon again successful a warfare against Hezbollah that lasted astir a month.

In August of that year, UN Resolution 1701 was passed to resoluteness the struggle betwixt Hezbollah and Israel, hoping to guarantee a lasting ceasefire astir a demilitarised buffer zone.