In closed consultations, France and the US on Thursday presented a briefing to UN Security Council members on the announcement of a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel last month.
The meeting discussed the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL’s needs to fulfil the tasks detailed in the cessation of hostilities agreement, including their capacity to confiscate weapons and “prevent the presence” of armed groups between the Blue Line and the Litani River in addition to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the villages they recently occupied in southern Lebanon.
Brokered by the US and France, the deal was agreed after over 13 months of hostilities, involving primarily Israel and Hezbollah.
During the closed consultations, Security Council members listened to a briefing from Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix following the announcement on 27 November of a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel.
At the meeting, no state had requested a new position, either in the form of a resolution or a statement, from the Security Council on how to implement resolution 1701.
This issue will be addressed by the five-member committee, known as the Implementation and Monitoring Mechanism of the Cessation of Hostilities. The committee includes representatives from the United States, France, Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL, and is tasked with "monitoring, verifying, and assisting in ensuring enforcement" of the commitments outlined in the cessation of hostilities agreement.
The Mechanism will also work with the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L) to strengthen the Lebanese Army’s capacity to inspect, dismantle unauthorized sites and infrastructure, and confiscate weapons and “prevent the presence” of armed groups.
The MTC4L is a multilateral technical coordination body led by Italy and composed of partner nations, including Council members France, the UK, and the US.
During the weekend, France and the US shared a copy of the cessation of hostilities announcement in a letter to the Council.
The text frames the agreement as a set of “understandings” that reflect “steps to which Israel and Lebanon are committed” in order to fully implement Resolution 1701 of 2006.
The resolution calls for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, based on a set of principles. These include the creation of "an area free of any armed personnel, assets, and weapons" between the Blue Line and the Litani River in Lebanon, except for those belonging to the government of Lebanon and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Additionally, the resolution stipulates that no foreign forces may remain in Lebanon without the consent of its government.
Meanwhile, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces south of the Blue Line, while the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will deploy to positions south of the Litani River to undertake a series of tasks outlined in the agreement. These include dismantling all unauthorized infrastructure and military positions, as well as confiscating unauthorized arms. This will specifically involve the removal of infrastructure and weapons belonging to Hezbollah and other armed groups in the area.
US-French Letter
The ceasefire agreement will establish the conditions necessary to restore lasting peace and enable residents on both sides of the Blue Line to return safely to their homes, according to a joint press release issued to the Security Council by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and her French counterpart, Nicolas de Riviere.
It added “The United States and France will work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure this arrangement is fully implemented and enforced, and we remain determined to prevent this conflict from becoming another cycle of violence.”
The statement also noted that the announcement will put an end to the fighting in Lebanon and secure Israel from the threat posed by Hezbollah and other organizations operating from Lebanese territory. In return, it added, Israel will halt its military operations against Lebanese territories.
An informed diplomat told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting aimed to provide a transparent presentation of the efforts undertaken by UNIFIL and the five-member mechanism to oversee the implementation and the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon and make sure both sides respect their commitments under Resolution 1701.
He said Security Council member states want to recognize the needs of UNIFIL to carry out its duties in accordance with resolution 1701.
