Aoun: Extending UNIFIL mandate is Lebanon's first choice

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has voiced strong support for extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling it the "first choice" for maintaining stability in the country's south.

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The presence of UNIFIL in the south is important in many respects. It helps to keep residents in their villages and towns and strengthens stability through cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese Army.

Aoun highlighted UNIFIL's crucial role in helping residents remain in their villages and towns. He stressed that the force strengthens stability through cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese Army. "The presence of UNIFIL in the south is important in many respects," Aoun stated, underscoring its multifaceted contributions.

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Our first choice is to extend UNIFIL's mandate.

Should an extension not be possible, Aoun proposed a secondary option: adopting a formula that guarantees the continued presence of international forces in the south. This alternative would need to operate within the required legal framework and ensure these forces work alongside and in coordination with the Lebanese Army to support stability and fulfill their tasks.

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If it is not extended, the second choice is to adopt a formula that guarantees the continued presence of international forces in the south, within the required legal framework, and in a way that ensures these forces operate alongside and in coordination with the Lebanese Army, supporting stability and carrying out their assigned tasks.

The president also pointed to external pressures, noting that "Israel rejects the presence of UNIFIL and has been exerting pressure in this direction for nearly a year, while we are demanding its continued presence." He aims to create a "breakthrough that guarantees the continued international presence in the south," whether through extending UNIFIL's mandate or deploying additional international forces, all while preserving stability and bolstering the role of the Lebanese state and army.

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Israel rejects the presence of UNIFIL and has been exerting pressure in this direction for nearly a year, while we are demanding its continued presence.