U.N. Peacekeepers in Lebanon Get Stronger Inspection Powers for Hezbollah Arms<br />30, 2017<br />The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday voted to renew the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another year after addressing American and Israeli complaints<br />that the force was ignoring a Hezbollah arms buildup near Israel’s border.<br />They also argued that the resolution of 2006, which empowered Unifil’s border functions, already included language authorizing the force to "ensure<br />that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind." Lebanon opposed any change in Unifil’s role, but wanted the force to remain in the country.<br />The resolution requests that Secretary General António Guterres examine ways to "increase Unifil’s visible presence, including through patrols<br />and inspections." Both Israel and the United States have grown increasingly strident in recent days over what they have described as a blatant buildup of Iranian weaponry by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon including hidden rockets.<br />Unifil has been deployed in Lebanon for nearly four decades<br />but its mandate was widened to patrolling Lebanon’s border with Israel after the 2006 war between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.<br />Under compromise language in a Security Council resolution reauthorizing the mandate, Unifil’s soldiers<br />will play a greater role in assisting Lebanon’s military in keeping the border area secure.<br />The annual renewal of the mandate for the force, known as the United Nations Interim<br />Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, had become a contentious issue in the council.
