France and the United States are working on a plan to gradually end the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) within 18 months, diplomats told Asharq Al-Awsat. The force, deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978, is facing mounting US pressure for a drawdown and strong Israeli demands for its immediate withdrawal.
France circulated a draft resolution to the Security Council on Monday proposing a 12-month renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate, which expires on Aug. 31. But Washington is pushing for a clear timetable to begin dismantling the mission.
Russia, which holds the Council presidency this month, scheduled a vote on the text for next Monday.
Diplomats described the draft as “balanced,” accommodating Lebanon’s request for renewal while nodding to the Trump administration’s broader push to scale back US contributions to UN peacekeeping worldwide. The White House has already sought reductions in missions in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mali.
Britain, Italy, Spain, and other European countries continue to back UNIFIL’s presence, arguing that an abrupt withdrawal could leave a dangerous security vacuum. Israel, by contrast, insists the force has outlived its usefulness, pointing to its “interim” designation.
Council members noted that Lebanon acknowledges UNIFIL’s temporary nature, but sees no alternative at this “critical juncture,” with its army already overstretched - guarding the Syrian border, monitoring Palestinian camps, and preparing to enforce state monopoly over all weapons, including those held by Hezbollah.
According to US sources, US envoy Tom Barrack has shown some understanding of Beirut’s position, though skepticism of UN peacekeeping runs deep in Washington.
Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio has backed a plan to shrink UNIFIL and wind it down within six months, arguing it wastes money and delays efforts to curb Hezbollah’s influence.
UNIFIL currently deploys around 10,500 troops from 47 countries and has long played a stabilizing role in southern Lebanon. Critics in Washington, however, describe it as ineffective and costly.
Lebanese and French negotiators, with Barrack’s support, secured a compromise: a one-year extension followed by a six-month drawdown. French diplomats urged Beirut not to insist on a routine “technical rollover,” warning that Washington might veto such a move.
The French text, which consists of ten operative paragraphs plus a preamble, lays out a roadmap for transition. Paragraph Five affirms the Council’s intent to work toward UNIFIL’s withdrawal, with the aim of ensuring the Lebanese government becomes the sole guarantor of security in southern Lebanon, provided it assumes full control of its territory. It also calls for stepped-up international assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
Importantly, the resolution links any withdrawal to a broader political settlement between Lebanon and Israel. It does not specify a timeline, despite US proposals to cut troop numbers and replace them with advanced monitoring technology.
In Monday’s closed consultations, 14 of the 15 Council members backed the French draft. The United States, however, continued to argue for what it called a final, one-year renewal.
A State Department spokesperson declined comment on the negotiations or the role of Morgan Ortagus, Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, who is representing Washington in the talks.
