Speaking from Naqoura Barracks and in the context of the 78th anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter, the Major General stated that the command remains in its positions and carries out its duties in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701.
Two weeks after the intensification of bombing on the southern border, the commander noted that Unifil troops continue to carry out patrols and other activities, including with local communities, in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces.
In this sense, Lázaro expressed active cooperation with the authorities on both sides of the Blue Line to reduce tensions and avoid misunderstandings.
On this issue, he stressed the need to redouble efforts to maintain stability and avoid a major conflict that would endanger many more people.
Currently, the international contingent consists of nearly 11,000 peacekeepers from 49 countries focused on one task: preventing the escalation of current exchanges along the Blue Line and preventing war, he said.
On March 19, 1978, the UN Security Council established the international command to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory; and to restore international peace and security.
The Blue Line, adopted by the United Nations on June 7, 2000, is the demarcation between Lebanon and Tel Aviv and corresponds to the Green Line, which became in 1949 following the State of Israel’s declaration of a ceasefire a year earlier.
After the 2006 war, the multilateral entity expanded Unifil’s mandate under Resolution 1701, giving it additional tasks alongside the Lebanese Armed Forces in the south of the Levantine state.
Through its liaison and coordination mechanisms, Unifil represents the only means through which the Lebanese and Israeli armies officially meet, as an essential point of conflict management and trust building.
Since October 7, the country’s southern border has remained on alert, following sustained Israeli bombings and the Lebanese resistance’s response to national martyrs and in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
ode/yma