France Urges New International Framework to Prevent Security Void in South Lebanon Post-UNIFIL

France's Foreign Minister has emphasized the critical need for a "new international framework" to bolster Lebanese security forces as the mandate for the UN peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon, UNIFIL, is set to expire at the end of the year. Jean-Noel Barrot, who was joined by French Armed Forces Minister Alice Rufo during a weekend visit to Beirut, stated that a "security vacuum" must be averted once UNIFIL concludes its nearly five-decade mission. The specifics of post-UNIFIL international presence and support are yet to be determined, but French diplomatic sources indicated prior to the visit that any security vacuum in south Lebanon would pose an "extremely dangerous" situation.

During their visit, Mr. Barrot and Ms. Rufo engaged in meetings with high-ranking Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and army commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal. While President Aoun expressed a preference for extending UNIFIL's mandate, he affirmed that if an extension were not feasible, Beirut would welcome "any formula that ensures an international presence in the south." The United States and Israel had previously urged the UN to terminate UNIFIL's mandate, citing the force's alleged role in failing to prevent recurrent conflicts along the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated border between southern Lebanon and Israel.

The French ministers underscored the importance of supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, which are currently underfunded and under-equipped, in their challenging endeavor to consolidate all weapons under state control. This objective implicitly includes the disarmament of Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese armed group and political party that has thus far resisted such measures. Currently, Israel's military occupies approximately 65 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, having established a security zone along the border following the latest hostilities with Hezbollah that commenced in early March. Last week, the European Union announced the formation of a support mission for the Lebanese Armed Forces, with an initial three-year mandate aimed at enhancing the capabilities of both the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces, as well as bolstering maritime security. However, EU leaders have clarified that this mission is not intended as a substitute for UNIFIL.