Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced on Monday that Lebanon endorses the renewal of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate and is open to a French-Italian proposal for an international presence post-UNIFIL, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
According to Anadolu Agency, President Aoun expressed Lebanon's commitment to renewing the international force in the south and stated that efforts are underway with French President Emmanuel Macron to facilitate this renewal. This statement was made during a meeting with French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin. Aoun also expressed support for the French-Italian initiative to establish a European force to substitute UNIFIL once its mandate ends.
President Aoun plans to visit Paris next week to join President Macron at the opening of a preparatory meeting for an international conference aimed at supporting the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces. The visit will also address discussions on the future international presence in southern Lebanon.
The initiative by France and Italy, announced in June, seeks to establish an international coalition, coordinated with the EU and UN, to develop a mechanism for post-UNIFIL operations and prevent a security vacuum in southern Lebanon. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani indicated Rome's willingness to contribute troops to a post-UNIFIL mission, contingent upon a multilateral agreement.
Additionally, the EU is preparing a mission to advise and train the Lebanese armed forces, focusing on border and maritime security. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized that this initiative is intended to bolster Lebanon's security capabilities rather than replace UNIFIL.
President Aoun also condemned Israel's ongoing attacks on Lebanon, highlighting the killing of civilians and destruction of property as unjustified crimes that undermine efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region. He criticized Israel's actions as detrimental to the framework agreement aimed at a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories, which Lebanon and Israel signed on June 26.
Despite the agreement, Israeli attacks have persisted. According to figures released by the Lebanese Health Ministry in late August, these attacks have resulted in over 4,000 deaths and 12,000 injuries since March 2.
UNIFIL has been operational in southern Lebanon since 1978, with its mandate set to expire at the end of 2026. While Lebanon prefers the mission's continuation, it remains open to alternative international security arrangements should the mandate not be extended.