UNIFIL Troops 'Avoiding' Residents of Southern Lebanon

UNIFIL members in southern Lebanon. (UNIFIL)
UNIFIL members in southern Lebanon. (UNIFIL)
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UNIFIL Troops 'Avoiding' Residents of Southern Lebanon

UNIFIL members in southern Lebanon. (UNIFIL)
UNIFIL members in southern Lebanon. (UNIFIL)

Troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have limited their activity to main roads in southern Lebanon, raising questions among the locals about whether they have been ordered to restrict their movement in wake of recent attacks against them.

Members of UNIFIL have been attacked on two separate occasions in December and January.

Asharq Al-Awsat toured the areas of operation of UNIFIL in the South where the locals have expressed their support for the international force and fears that it may withdraw from the area.

They believe UNIFIL is the last remaining international cover provided to Lebanon amid its successive crises.

The international troops are seen as a source of stability and financial support in the South, but the recent lack of interaction between them and the locals has raised concerns.

In the past, international troops dining at restaurants, shopping at grocers, visiting clinics and other public places was a common and welcome sight. Now, as they remain in their vehicles and avoid contact with the people, concerns have started to mount.

Locals who have spoken to Asharq Al-Awsat stressed that relations with UNIFIL cannot be undermined by any random incident.

The soldiers "have become our friends. They are no strangers to us."

In fact, they expressed their disappointment with the latest attacks against the troops, saying the perpetrators are of the minority that oppose the force and their affiliations are known.

They are only carrying out orders aimed at forcing the troops to restrict their movement, they explained.

UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Asharq Al-Awsat that the attacks have not deterred the troops from carrying out their duties.

They continue to communicate and coordinate with the Lebanese army, he stressed.

He said the peacekeepers will continue to implement UN Security Council resolution 1701.

UNIFIL carries out over 400 patrols and operations per day. It also contributes to small development projects, amounting to 7 million dollars annually, and provides job opportunities to over 600 Lebanese people.

Now, the soldiers are avoiding interacting with the locals so that their actions will not be exploited by some political powers - Hezbollah - to deliver a political message to the international force.

A field source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the opponents of UNIFIL make up no more than 3 percent of the local population.

"We know who they are. They are carrying out the orders aimed at restricting the troops' movement," he said.

Restricted movement
The first attack against UNIFIL took place in the town of Shakra on December 22 when locals accused the forces of taking photos of the area. The second took place in Bint Jbeil last week when people assaulted a UNIFIL patrol.

Tenenti told Asharq Al-Awsat that UNIFIL was coordinating closely with the Lebanese army in its areas of operation.

On claims that the troops were avoiding interacting with the locals, he said that the peacekeeping force has not changed its policies.

UNIFIL values that longstanding and fruitful relationship with the local population, he added.

Its priority lies in fulfilling its mandate, he stressed. UNIFIL is still committed to Lebanon and the people of the South and to preserving lasting peace.

Political messages
The two recent attacks have raised a number of questions over their motives and the political messages that were being directed at the international mission.

In a rare firm tone, the UN had urged the Lebanese authorities to probe the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"The denial of UNIFIL's freedom of movement and any aggression against those serving the cause of peace is unacceptable," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said after last week's attack.

"UNIFIL condemns attacks on men and women serving the cause of peace, which are violations of both Lebanese and international law," Kandice Ardiel, a UNIFIL press official, had also said last week.

She added that UNIFIL also condemns those who manipulate local residents to serve their purposes.

Lebanese political analyst Dr. Nassib Hoteit said the problems between the locals and UNIFIL stem from the former's questioning of some of the security roles played by some members of the force, not the entire mission.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said that "locals" refers to the actual residents themselves and to the unregulated popular resistance.

He acknowledged that problems between the people and UNIFIL are not uncommon, but they have grown in frequency in recent weeks.

Some people believe UNIFIL is veering away from its mission and is not coordinating its movement with the army. Such allegations are due to the security tensions in the South, he said.

The people are tense because the mounting crises and international pressure against Lebanon, he explained.

Moreover, Hoteit warned that problems will only increase if an international decision was taken to pull UNIFIL out of the South.

That will mean the removal of international cover over Lebanon. "UNIFIL is an important factor of stability in the country and it is an important symbol of international presence and recognition of Lebanon," he stressed.

Lebanese fears
Despite the tensions and concerns, the southerners don't believe that these incidents will impact the fate of UNIFIL.

Some have described them as "incidental" and not reflective of the people of the South.

Lebanese sources said the two recent attacks are "rare" and are usually resolved through the military.

This does not however, eliminate concerns. Hoteit, who hails from the South, said the withdrawal of UNIFIL would leave the region vulnerable to Israeli attacks that the country can do without as it grapples with major internal economic and political crises.

Projects worth millions
The security problems have not harmed the relations between the locals and the peacekeeping force.

In the town of Maarake in the Tyre province, the Malaysian contingent was invited to attend a wake to commemorate the victims of recent floods in the Asian country.

Such incidents reflect the unique ties that bind the locals to UNIFIL.

The southerners also benefit from projects carried out by UNIFIL that top 7 million dollars annually.

UNIFIL Commander Major General Stefano Del Col said last week that the soldiers had carried out over 180,000 field operation and over 400 projects and grants.

It has also offered support to the Lebanese army that is the foundation to the international force achieving its goal of providing lasting peace in southern Lebanon, he added.

Residents in Tyre have cited major development projects that were carried out by UNIFIL, such a sewage network in the border town of Naqoura. They have also offered health, agricultural and veterinary services.

In Marjeyoun, the locals credited the international force with installing solar panels to light up street lamps.

The international troops also contribute to the local economy. Over 10,000 soldiers make up UNIFIL and they shop for their daily needs at local markets. Furthermore, the international force has provided jobs to 630 Lebanese people, while 300 foreign workers and their families are also employed with it.

In Marjeyoun, two locals look at the solar-powered street lamps and say that without UNIFIL such an initiative would never have been implemented.

"Harming soldiers who have left behind their families to provide us with peace of mind and stability is totally unacceptable," they said.



A Presidential Campaign Unlike Any Other Ends on Tuesday. Here’s How We Got Here

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
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A Presidential Campaign Unlike Any Other Ends on Tuesday. Here’s How We Got Here

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Atrium Health Amphitheater in Macon, Georgia, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)

It's the election that no one could have foreseen.

Not so long ago, Donald Trump was marinating in self-pity at Mar-a-Lago after being impeached twice and voted out of the White House. Even some of his closest allies were looking forward to a future without the charismatic yet erratic billionaire leading the Republican Party, especially after his failed attempt to overturn an election ended in violence and shame. When Trump announced his comeback bid two years ago, the New York Post buried the article on page 26.

At the same time, Kamala Harris was languishing as a low-profile sidekick to President Joe Biden. Once seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, she struggled with both her profile and her portfolio, disappointing her supporters and delighting her critics. No one was talking about Harris running for the top job — they were wondering if Biden should replace her as his running mate when he sought a second term.

But on Tuesday, improbable as it may have seemed before, Americans will choose either Trump or Harris to serve as the next president. It’s the final chapter in one of the most bewildering, unpredictable and consequential sagas in political history. For once, the word “unprecedented” has not been overused.

“If someone had told you ahead of time what was going to happen in this election, and you tried to sell it as a book, no one would believe it,” said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster with more than four decades of experience. “It’s energized the country and it’s polarized the country. And all we can hope is that we come out of it better in the end.”

Supporters of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in a caravan to show their support in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)

History was and will be made. The United States has never elected a president who has been convicted of a crime. Trump survived not one but two assassination attempts. Biden dropped out in the middle of an election year and Harris could become the first female president. Fundamental tenets about democracy in the most powerful nation on earth will be tested like no time since the Civil War.

And that’s not to mention the backdrop of simultaneous conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, hacking by foreign governments, an increasingly normalized blizzard of misinformation and the intimate involvement of the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

For now, the only thing the country can agree on is that no one knows how the story will end.

Trump rebounded from disgrace to the Republican nomination

Republicans could have been finished with Trump after Jan. 6, 2021.

That's the day he fired up his supporters with false claims of voter fraud, directed them to march on the US Capitol while Congress was ceremonially certifying Biden's election victory, and then stood by as rioting threatened lawmakers and his own vice president.

But not enough Republicans joined with Democrats to convict Trump in an impeachment trial, clearing a path for him to run for office again.

Trump started planning a comeback even as some leaders in his party hoped he would be eclipsed by Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, or Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations.

In the year after Trump announced that he would run against Biden, he faced criminal charges four times. Two of the indictments were connected to his attempts to overturn his election defeat. Another involved his refusal to return classified documents to the federal government after leaving office. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and none of those cases have been resolved.

However, a fourth indictment in New York led to Trump becoming the first president in US history to be criminally convicted. A jury found him guilty on May 30 of falsifying business records over hush money payments to a porn star who claimed they had an affair.

Supporters listen to Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump as he speaks during a campaign rally at the Atrium Health Amphitheater on November 03, 2024 in Macon, Georgia. (Getty Images/AFP)

None of it slowed Trump, who practically ignored his opponents during the primary as he barreled toward the Republican presidential nomination. A mugshot from one of his arrests was adopted by his followers as a symbol of resisting a corrupt system.

Trump's candidacy capitalized on anger over inflation and frustration about migrants crossing the southern border. He also hammered Biden as too old for the job even though he's only four years younger than the president.

But Democrats also thought Biden, 81, would be better off considering retirement than a second term. So when Biden struggled through a presidential debate on June 27 — losing his train of thought, appearing confused, stammering through answers — he faced escalating pressure within his party to drop out of the race.

As Biden faced a political crisis, Trump went to an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. A young man evaded police, climbed to the top of a nearby building and fired several shots with a semiautomatic rifle.

Trump grabbed at his ear and dropped to the stage. While Secret Service agents crowded around him, he lurched to his feet with a streak of blood across his face, thrust his fist in the air and shouted “fight, fight, fight!” An American flag billowed overhead.

It was an instantly iconic moment. Trump's path to the White House seemed clearer than ever — perhaps even inevitable.

Harris gets an unexpected opportunity at redemption

The vice president was getting ready to do a puzzle with her nieces on the morning of July 21 when Biden called. He had decided to end his reelection bid and endorse Harris as his replacement.

She spent the rest of the day making dozens of phone calls to line up support, and she had enough to secure the nomination within two days.

It was a startling reversal of fortune. Harris had flamed out when running for president four years earlier, dropping out before the first Democratic primary contest. Biden resuscitated her political career by choosing her as his running mate, and she became the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president.

But Harris' struggles did not end there. She fumbled questions about immigration, oversaw widespread turnover in her office and faded into the background rather than use her historic status as a platform.

All of that started to change on June 24, 2022, when the US Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion enshrined by Roe v. Wade. Harris became the White House's top advocate on an issue that reshaped American politics.

US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris walks on stage as she arrives for a campaign rally at Michigan State University's Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Michigan, on November 3, 2024. (AFP)

She also proved to be more nimble than before. Shortly after returning from a weeklong trip to Africa, her team orchestrated a spur-of-the-moment venture to Nashville so Harris could show support for two Tennessee lawmakers who had been expelled for protesting for gun control.

Meanwhile, Harris was networking with local politicians, business leaders and cultural figures to gain ideas and build connections. When Biden dropped out, she was better positioned than many realized to seize the moment.

The day after she became the candidate, Harris jetted to Wilmington, Delaware to visit campaign headquarters. Staff members had spent the morning printing “Kamala” and “Harris for President” signs to tape up next to obsolete “Biden-Harris” posters.

There were 106 days until the end of the election.

The battle between Trump and Harris will reshape the country While speaking to campaign staff in Wilmington, Harris used a line that has become a mantra, chanted by supporters at rallies across the country. “We are not going back,” she declared.

A mariachi performer wears a pin for Democratic candidate for president US Vice President Kamala Harris at an election event for her and Democratic candidate for US Senate Ruben Gallego at Ocotillo in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 03 November 2024. (EPA)

It's a fitting counterpoint to Trump's slogan, “make America great again,” which he has wielded since launching his first campaign more than eight years ago.

The two candidates have almost nothing in common, something that was on display on Sept. 10, when Harris and Trump met for the first time for their only televised debate.

Harris promised to restore abortion rights and use tax breaks to support small businesses and families. She said she would “be a president for all Americans.”

Trump took credit for nominating the justices that helped overturn Roe, pledged to protect the US economy with tariffs and made false claims about migrants eating people's pets. He called Harris “the worst vice president in the history of our country.”

Harris was widely viewed as gaining the upper hand. Trump insisted he won but refused a second debate. The race remained remarkably close.

Pundits and pollsters have spent the final weeks straining to identify any shift in the candidates' chances. Microscopic changes in public opinion could swing the outcome of the election. It might take days to count enough votes to determine who wins.

The outcome, whenever it becomes clear, could be just another surprise in a campaign that's been full of them.