OMM Redaksiyası
Peace in southern Lebanon remains “elusive,” the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said, warning that permanently ending the conflict requires political will from the parties, according to the mission.
UNIFIL made the remarks in a statement marking the International Day of Peace, observed annually on Sept. 21. The mission commemorated the occasion with a ceremony at its headquarters in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura.
UNIFIL calls for political solution
“Today, peace in south Lebanon remains elusive, but the hope for peace endures,” UNIFIL said, adding that lasting peace requires “political commitments and solutions from the parties themselves.”
“Peacekeepers can help restore stability, avoid misunderstandings, and reduce the risk of escalation — but they cannot replace the political will and decisions needed to end the conflict permanently,” it said.
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Maj. Gen. Diodato Abagnara said peace was “not something we address once a year” but “an enduring responsibility.”
“We patrol, we keep channels of communication open with the parties to reduce the risk of misunderstanding and escalation. We work with the Lebanese Armed Forces as they assume greater responsibilities in the south,” Abagnara said.
He said responsibility for reaching a political solution rested with the parties, while UNIFIL would continue keeping communication channels open, reducing the risk of escalation and supporting diplomatic efforts.
Resolution 1701 remains the basis
Abagnara said the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 remained “the objective and the basis for lasting peace and stability in south Lebanon.”
He added that continued cooperation between the Lebanese Armed Forces and UN peacekeepers was central to maintaining stability and supporting the extension of state authority in the south.
The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 in August 2006 after a 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and for the area between the Blue Line and the Litani River to be free of weapons and armed personnel, except for the Lebanese army and UNIFIL.
Conflict displaces more than 1 million people
UNIFIL said the current conflict had forced thousands of people to leave their homes, with many still displaced. It said the fighting had disrupted livelihoods, damaged homes and infrastructure and caused civilian deaths and injuries.
This is the last International Day of Peace that UNIFIL will observe before its mandate expires at the end of 2026, following a 2025 UN Security Council decision to end the mission.
The UN General Assembly established the International Day of Peace in 1981 to promote ceasefires, nonviolence, tolerance, justice and human rights.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 have killed at least 4,386 people, injured 12,407 and displaced more than 1 million, according to Lebanese authorities.
The attacks have continued despite Lebanon and Israel signing a US-brokered framework agreement on June 26. The agreement provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Israel occupies areas in southern Lebanon, some for decades and others since the 2023-2024 war. Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) during the current offensive.
