United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council
Resolution
425
and 426
on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israel
i withdrawal from Lebanon
which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security, and help the Government of Lebanon
restore its effective authority in the area.
The first UNIFIL troops were deployed in the area on 23 March 1978; these troops were reassigned from other UN peacekeeping
operations in the area (namely the United Nations Emergency Force
and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone
).
During the occupation, UNIFIL's function was mainly to provide humanitarian aid.
UNIFIL's mandate is renewed by United Nations Security Council
annually. Current mandate expires on 31 August 2012.
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UNIFIL is tasked with achieving the following objectives:
Mandating resolutions by the United Nations:
Prior to the 1982 Lebanon War
, on 2 January 1982 two Ghanaian soldiers guarding a UNIFIL position were attacked by unidentified persons and one of the soldiers was shot and subsequently died. During the 1982 Lebanon War
, UN positions were overrun, primarily by the SLA
forces under Saad Haddad
. This was the Lebanese paramilitary force supported by the IDF
in Southern Lebanon.
Beginning in 1985, Israel scaled back its permanent positions in Lebanon, although this process was punctuated by brief invasions and bombings, as in Operation Accountability
in 1993 and Operation Grapes of Wrath
in 1996. In 1999, Israel undertook a withdrawal, which concluded in 2000 and enabled UNIFIL to resume its military tasks.
UNIFIL is currently deployed in Southern Lebanon
(south of the Litani River
) and primarily along the United Nations-drawn Blue Line
, which is the border between Israel
and Lebanon
. The force's activities have centered around monitoring military activity between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces with the aim of reducing tensions and allaying tension along the border. UNIFIL has also played an important role in clearing landmines, assisting displaced persons and providing humanitarian assistance to civilians in the underdeveloped region of Southern Lebanon
. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which passed as a result of the 2006 Lebanon War, its mandate and rules of engagement changed. The mandate changed to allow up to 15,000 personnel in order to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces
in deploying in Southern Lebanon
to implement the Lebanese government's sovereignty. The rules of engagement changed to allow the troops to open fire in certain cases: mostly in cases of self-defense but also in order to protect civilians, UN personnel and facilities. The new resolution states that UNIFIL can “take all the necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces, and as it deems with its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind.”
On 27 August 2006, United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
said that UNIFIL would not intercept arms shipments from Syria
, unless requested to do so by Lebanon.
which was also the major contributor to the force. The Germans lead the MTF up until 29 February 2008 when they passed control over to EUROMARFOR - a force made up of ships from Portugal, Spain, Italy and France (of which the latter three countries sent vessels to the force in Lebanon). As of May 2008, the German Navy is still the biggest contributor to the UNIFIL MTF sending four vessels. These four vessels are complemented by two Italian, two Greek, one French, one Spanish, one Bulgaria
n and one Turkish
vessel to comprise the 12-vessel UNIFIL Maritime Task Force.
As of 30 April 2008, UNIFIL employs 12,341 military personnel, supported by some 307 international civilian and 606 local civilian staff and it is headed by Spanish Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta
.
To date UNIFIL has suffered 272 fatalities: 261 troops, two military observers, five international civilian staff, and four local staff.
Prior to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
of July 2006, Israel had been lobbying for UNIFIL to either take a more active role vis-a-vis Hezbollah (for example, preventing Hezbollah from stationing near UNIFIL posts to fire at the IDF and into northern Israel) or to step out of the region (thereby voiding the Lebanese government’s excuse for not deploying Lebanese Armed Forces
along the border).
UNIFIL also came under criticism during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict for broadcasting detailed reports of Israeli troop movements, numbers, and positions on their website which "could have exposed Israeli soldiers to grave danger", while making no such reports about Hezbollah.
Israel was concerned when it was reported that Indonesia
was being considered to replace Italy as commander of UNIFIL's naval force. As Indonesia does not recognize Israel, and the two countries have no diplomatic or military relations, Israel expressed concerned that cooperation with the IDF, especially the Israeli Navy, could deteriorate.
A 2010 book published by Norwegian
journalist Odd Karsten Tveit
revealed that the Norwegian Army
was complicit in the escape of two Lebanese men who were arrested by the Israeli Army and being held in Khiam prison
. According to the book, in 1992, two detained Lebanese men escaped from Khiam prison. Fearing that they would face torture or execution if caught by the Israel Defense Forces
or South Lebanon Army
, the soldiers dressed the detainees in UN uniforms, and placed them in a UNIFIL convoy which left Southern Lebanon through Israeli roadblocks. Shortly afterward, Israeli Army commander Moshe Tamir visited the Norwegian battalion's camp, and accused Norwegian commander Hagrup Haukland of "sheltering terrorists". Immediately after the confrontation, the Lebanese men were smuggled onto a bus used by Norwegian peacekeepers on leave, which took them to Beirut
.
declared that the UN force had “come to protect Israel, not Lebanon”.
. In his 21 July 2006 report about the UNIFIL activities 21 January-18 July 2006, the UN Secretary-General stated that "Some Hezbollah positions remained in close proximity to United Nations positions, especially in the Hula area, posing a significant security risk to United Nations personnel and equipment."
heavy tanks and AMX 30 AuF1 self-propelled artillery, in addition to the forces deployed in Opération Baliste
. Italy will send 3,000 troops. Qatar
will send between 200 and 300 troops.
A naval component of UNIFIL was set up to assist the Lebanese Navy
preventing arms proliferation to Hezbollah. This force is under the command of a German admiral with the majority of vessels being provided by the German Navy
.
The Indonesian contingent
received 12 VAB
(Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) on 17 February 2007, as the part of the second wave of shipment from the agreement between the French and Indonesia
n governments. Amongst the equipments sent with the second wave of VABs are 10 tool boxes (pioneering equipment), 10 armored vehicle radio communications unit, HMG
(Heavy Machine Gun) shooter shield, and 40 water jerrycan
s.
On 16 March 2009, KRI Diponegoro, a Sigma class corvette
joined UNIFIL Naval Task Force.
On 13 April 2010, the Indonesian Contingent reveived 13 Pindad APS-3 vehicles, known as the Anoa APC.
jets were seen over the skies of Beirut
during Hassan Nasrallah
's victory speech, possibly trying to protect him from an Israeli assassination attempt. Nasrallah told the crowd that he had no fear in addressing the masses directly, rather than through armored glass. In September 2006, Hezbollah fighters raided an Israeli arms depot in Shomera
, and made off with a large quantity of sidearms, grenades, anti-tank weapons, and LAU rockets. Five Israeli Merkava
tanks, an armored bulldozer
, and a number of military vehicles entered Lebanon and attempted to search the Hezbollah-controlled village of Marwahin
for the arms. They were confronted by four French Army
Leclerc
tanks, which blocked their advance. The confrontation lasted for half an hour. According to American and German correspondents, the French retreated, while the French commander claimed that the Israelis had turned back. French commander of UNIFIL Alain Pellegrini
stated that France would not intervene to disarm Hezbollah.
On 3 October 2006, an Israeli fighter jet penetrated the 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) defense perimeter of the French Navy
frigate Courbet without answering radio calls, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologized after official protests from the French government.
On 24 October, six Israeli Air Force
F-16 jets flew over the German Navy
intelligence ship Alster
, patrolling off Israel's coast just south of the Lebanese border. The German Defense Ministry said that the planes had given off infrared decoys and one of the aircraft had fired two shots into the air, which had not been specifically aimed. The Israeli military said that a German helicopter took off from the vessel without having coordinated this with Israel, and denied vehemently having fired any shots at the vessel and said "as of now" it also had no knowledge of the jets launching flares over it. Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz
telephoned his German counterpart Franz Josef Jung
to clarify that 'Israel has no intention to carry out any aggressive actions' against the German peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, who are there as part of UNIFIL to enforce an arms embargo against Hezbollah'. Germany confirmed the consultations, and that both sides were interested in maintaining good cooperation. The Alsters crew had recorded several overflights by Israeli jets in the previous weeks, but claimed that the Israeli aircraft had always stayed at high altitude. The week before the incident, Israeli jets had confronted a German naval helicopter, but turned back after the Germans identified themselves.
On 31 October 2006, eight Israeli F-15s
flew over many areas of Lebanon, including Beirut. The jets also flew over a French position in Lebanon. According to the French Defense Minister
Michele Alliot-Marie
, the planes came in at what was interpreted as an attack formation, and the peacekeepers were "two seconds" away from firing at the jets with an anti-aircraft missile.
In a report to the Security Council, Annan reported that there were no serious incidents or confrontations, but that peacekeepers reported Israeli flyovers "almost on a daily basis". Israel claimed that the flyovers were to gather intelligence on arms shipments from Syria
or Iran
for Hezbollah.
On September 6, during a European Union
meeting in Brussels
, the French Defense Minister announced that the Israeli Air Force had stopped mock air attacks over UNIFIL positions. On November 17, two IAF F-15s overflew UN positions at low altitude and high speed, and two Israeli reconnaissance planes circled the headquarters of the French battalion. French peacekeepers responded by readying their anti-aircraft batteries, and warned that Israeli warplanes conducting mock attacks could be fired on.
UNIFIL commander Alain Pellegrini
and the UN claimed that Israeli flyovers violated the cease-fire and Lebanese sovereignty, and warned that if the diplomatic efforts to stop the overflights failed, force might be used to stop them. Israeli military sources said that the IAF would bomb UNIFIL positions if Israeli aircraft were attacked.
The IAF continued its reconnaissance flights over Lebanon, and despite strong protests, UNIFIL peacekeeping forces did not follow through on their threats to fire at Israeli aircraft. The Lebanese government reported hundreds of overflights by Israeli aircraft, and also claimed that Israeli troops had illegally crossed the border dozens of times, including into the Shebaa farms
area.
ns and three Spanish) were killed after their vehicle was hit by an explosive device; two others (both Spanish) were injured in the incident. No group has yet admitted responsibility. The Israeli military believed the attack to be the work of al-Qaeda
/Global Jihad
members.
The Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Ambassador Dan Gillerman
, met with UNIFIL commander, Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano, on 15 August 2008, after Israel was accused of unilaterally violating United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 by the almost daily overflights of Lebanese airspace, the continued occupation of the village of Ghajar and Israel's refusal to submit maps of areas on which it dropped cluster munitions during the 2006 Lebanese war.
Following the war, British military historian John Keegan
predicted that Israel would in the future invade Lebanon and continue attacking until Hezbollah's system of tunnels and bunkers was completely destroyed, as Israel would not tolerate a "zone of invulnerability" occupied by a sworn enemy, or a double threat posed by Hezbollah and Hamas
rockets, and that Israel might first attack the Gaza Strip
. Keegan noted that any IDF entry into Southern Lebanon would risk provoking a clash with UNIFIL, but that it is unlikely to deter Israel, as it tends to behave with "extreme ruthlessness" when national survival is at stake.
In 2010, a series of standoffs and clashes erupted between UNIFIL troops and Lebanese villagers in the border region. Villagers accused French peacekeepers of provocative and intrusive patrols, and of taking pictures of people inside their homes. People of Aitaroun town, Marjayoun, accused the French regiments of driving their heavy vehicles through their two-month old tobacco fields, which support many families. UNIFIL was also accused of having stepped up its patrols and of failing to coordinate with the Lebanese Army. In July 2010, the most serious incident occurred when the French regiments decided to carry out exercises unilaterally, without Lebanese units or other regiments. When they went into narrow alleys of Lebanese villages some residents first tried to redirect them out of their private areas. The French fired against the civilians, also arrested a youth driving a motorcycle and destroyed the vehicle. When other civilians saw that, they surrounded and attacked the UNIFIL French troops and without any weapons. The vehicles windows were also smashed by stones from dozens of civilians of all ages, and the French commander was wounded. The French troops were forcibly disarmed by the villagers, and weapons were then handed over to the Lebanese Army. The French unit could not explain why they behaved unilaterally. Their ambassador to the UN said the civilian attack 'was not spontaneous'. Many troops, including the Finnish, Irish, Qataris and Indonesians pulled out of the UNIFIL back in 2007-2008. One reason quoted as some were there for over 30 years (the Irish and Finnish) because of fear of change of the rules of engagement by the NATO forces joining after August 2006 and because of German and French high level statements expressing unlimited support to the Israeli side.
At the request of the United Nations, 7,000 additional Lebanese soldiers were deployed to South Lebanon as approved by the Lebanese Cabinet.
The 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash occurred on August 3, 2010, this clashes marked the deadliest incident along the border since the devastating 2006 Lebanon War. The U.N. force stationed in southern Lebanon urged "maximum restraint" following the clashes along the so-called blue line, a U.N.-drawn border separating Lebanon from Israel. UNIFIL peacekeepers were in the area where the clashes took place. United Nations peacekeepers tried to hold off the routine Israeli tree-pruning that led to a deadly border clash with Lebanese soldiers. An Indonesian U.N. battalion was on the scene, and they did their best to try to prevent it, but they were unable to.
Indonesia
n peacekeepers tried to no avail to calm the situation before the clashes erupted. However, the fighting were increasingly intensified, so this small contingent of UNIFIL forces were ordered to retreat or find cover then report back to the base. The Indonesian contingent, under intense gunfire and shelling between the two opposing forces, retreated and returned to their base, but two soldiers accidentally separated from the main group and got trapped in the situation. The stunned and exhausted soldiers were helped by some locals.
UN peacekeepers did not escape the confrontation unscathed. Local TV reported that in some cases, villagers attempted to block UNIFIL vehicles from fleeing the combat zone, demanding that they return and fight. However, current and former UNIFIL officials said that at that point in the conflict, it was out of peacekeepers’ hands. One of former UNIFIL official also explained that he has been in these situations before, and when the opposing sides is determined to shoot each other, there’s nothing UNIFIL force can do. There is also another statement from a former UNIFIL commander concerning about UNIFIL action to preserve neutrality for both sides, he stated that if UNIFIL force intervene to protect IDF, for instance, UNIFIL will be accused by Hizbollah or the people of protecting the Israelis, and collaborating with the enemy. On the other side, if UNIFIL force do the same with the Lebanese, Israel will accuse UNIFIL of collaborating with Hizbollah.
* Because the troop figures come from second hand sources, the exact numbers can not be accurately verified. In most cases the sources round and/or estimate the figures to the closet proximity.
UNFIL's fatalities, which number over 250, include the following nationalities:
Belgium: 4,
Fiji: 35,
Finland: 11,
France: 30,
Ghana: 29,
India: 2,
Iran: 1,
Ireland: 47,
Italy: 6,
Lebanon: 6,
Malaysia: 1,
Nepal: 25,
Netherlands: 9,
Nigeria: 10,
Norway: 21,
Philippines: 1,
Poland: 7,
Senegal: 16,
Spain: 7,
Sweden: 7,
United Kingdom: 3.
A former Israeli diplomat, Itamar Rabinovich
, cricised the efficacy of the force saying "UNIFIL, I'm afraid, is a joke. They’ve been there for 26 years and since then, there have been so many skirmishes [along the border]." Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
also said "We didn’t like very much UNIFIL which was very useless and very helpless. Look what happened. Did you hear of any particular efforts of the United Nations UNIFIL force in the south of Lebanon to prevent the attacks against Israel in the first place. So they were not useful and that is why we were unhappy with them."
Both Israel and Hezbollah have accused UNIFIL of bias. Israel again accused them of failing to prevent, and even collaborating with, Hezbollah in its replenishment of military power. Hezbollah, in turn, said "certain contingents" of UNIFIL are spying for, if not assisting, Israel.
On the contrary, India's UNIFIL contingent seems to have rather attracted the goodwill of the South Lebanese population by introducing popular measures such as yoga exercises.
Indonesian UNIFIL contingent (INDOBATT) also gained good reputation within South Lebanese people, this is achieved through Civil Military Coordination (CIMIC) program implemented by the contingent. This program includes many society based activities, such as conducting computer course for local residents, medical assistance and also give technical assistance in rebuilding social facilities.
of Trondheim District Court
in 2006 resulted in Norway's government being ordered to pay compensation for tortious injury
that Knut Braa
acquired as a UNIFIL soldier — Norwegian kroner 1 215 374.
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
425
United Nations Security Council Resolution 425
United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, adopted on March 19, 1978, five days after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, called on Israel to withdraw immediately its forces from Lebanon and established the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon...
and 426
United Nations Security Council Resolution 426
United Nations Security Council Resolution 426, adopted on March 19, 1978, written the same day as resolution 425, approved of the Secretary-General's report on its implementation and in-turn established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon for 6 months, to continue operation thereafter if...
on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i withdrawal from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
which Israel had invaded five days prior, restore international peace and security, and help the Government of Lebanon
Politics of Lebanon
Lebanon is a parliamentary republic within the overall framework of confessionalism, a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from certain religious communities. The constitution grants the people the right to change their government...
restore its effective authority in the area.
The first UNIFIL troops were deployed in the area on 23 March 1978; these troops were reassigned from other UN peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
operations in the area (namely the United Nations Emergency Force
United Nations Emergency Force
The first United Nations Emergency Force was established by United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the 1956 Suez Crisis with resolution 1001 on November 7, 1956. The force was developed in large measure as a result of efforts by UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and a proposal...
and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone
The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 350 on 31 May 1974, to implement Resolution 338 which called for an immediate ceasefire and implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242.The resolution was passed...
).
During the occupation, UNIFIL's function was mainly to provide humanitarian aid.
UNIFIL's mandate is renewed by United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
annually. Current mandate expires on 31 August 2012.
Mandate
- Confirm the withdrawal of IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i forces from southern LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among... - Restore international peace and security
- Assist the Government of LebanonPolitics of LebanonLebanon is a parliamentary republic within the overall framework of confessionalism, a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionately reserved for representatives from certain religious communities. The constitution grants the people the right to change their government...
in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area
Mandating resolutions by the United Nations:
- 31 January 2006: United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security CouncilThe United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
ResolutionUnited Nations Security Council ResolutionA United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1655 - 31 July 2006: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1697
- 11 August 2006: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution that was intended to resolve the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.It was unanimously approved by the United Nations Security Council on 11 August 2006. The Lebanese cabinet, which includes two members of Hezbollah, unanimously approved the...
Lebanese civil war (until 1990)
Lebanon War
The term Lebanon War can refer to any of the following wars, fought in Lebanon:*Lebanese Civil War *Hundred Days' War 1978 *1982 Lebanon War...
, on 2 January 1982 two Ghanaian soldiers guarding a UNIFIL position were attacked by unidentified persons and one of the soldiers was shot and subsequently died. During the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
, UN positions were overrun, primarily by the SLA
South Lebanon Army
The South Lebanon Army , also "South Lebanese Army," was a Lebanese militia during the Lebanese Civil War. After 1979, the militia operated in southern Lebanon under the authority of Saad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon...
forces under Saad Haddad
Saad Haddad
Saad Haddad was the founder and head of the South Lebanon Army . Several sources have suggested Haddad's involvement in the Sabra and Shatila massacres in 1982.-Lebanese Civil War:...
. This was the Lebanese paramilitary force supported by the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
in Southern Lebanon.
Beginning in 1985, Israel scaled back its permanent positions in Lebanon, although this process was punctuated by brief invasions and bombings, as in Operation Accountability
Operation Accountability
On July 25, 1993, Israeli forces launched a week-long attack against Lebanon named Operation Accountability in Israel and the Seven-Day War in Lebanon...
in 1993 and Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath
Operation Grapes of Wrath is the Israeli Defense Forces code-name for a sixteen-day campaign against Lebanon in 1996 in an attempt to end shelling of Northern Israel by Hezbollah. Israel conducted more than 1,100 air raids and extensive shelling...
in 1996. In 1999, Israel undertook a withdrawal, which concluded in 2000 and enabled UNIFIL to resume its military tasks.
Post-2006 war operations
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
(south of the Litani River
Litani River
The Litani River is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani River is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average...
) and primarily along the United Nations-drawn Blue Line
Blue Line (Lebanon)
The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the purposes of determining whether Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon...
, which is the border between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. The force's activities have centered around monitoring military activity between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces with the aim of reducing tensions and allaying tension along the border. UNIFIL has also played an important role in clearing landmines, assisting displaced persons and providing humanitarian assistance to civilians in the underdeveloped region of Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which passed as a result of the 2006 Lebanon War, its mandate and rules of engagement changed. The mandate changed to allow up to 15,000 personnel in order to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces
Lebanese Armed Forces
The Lebanese Armed Forces or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the Lebanese Army according to its official Website The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية | Al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥa al-Lubnāniyya) or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the...
in deploying in Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
to implement the Lebanese government's sovereignty. The rules of engagement changed to allow the troops to open fire in certain cases: mostly in cases of self-defense but also in order to protect civilians, UN personnel and facilities. The new resolution states that UNIFIL can “take all the necessary action in areas of deployment of its forces, and as it deems with its capabilities, to ensure that its area of operations is not utilized for hostile activities of any kind.”
On 27 August 2006, United Nations Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
said that UNIFIL would not intercept arms shipments from Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, unless requested to do so by Lebanon.
Maritime Task Force
After the 2006 Lebanon War, the UNIFIL Maritime Task Force (MTF) was established to assist the Lebanese Naval Forces in preventing the smuggling of illegal shipments in general and armament shipments in particular. With its establishment in October 2006, the force was led by the German NavyGerman Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
which was also the major contributor to the force. The Germans lead the MTF up until 29 February 2008 when they passed control over to EUROMARFOR - a force made up of ships from Portugal, Spain, Italy and France (of which the latter three countries sent vessels to the force in Lebanon). As of May 2008, the German Navy is still the biggest contributor to the UNIFIL MTF sending four vessels. These four vessels are complemented by two Italian, two Greek, one French, one Spanish, one Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n and one Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
vessel to comprise the 12-vessel UNIFIL Maritime Task Force.
Personnel
Alberto Asarta
Alberto Asarta Cuevas is a Spanish military officer. He was promoted to Major General in July 2009, and he has participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions in El Salvador, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Lebanon and in the multi-national force deployed in the Iraq War...
.
To date UNIFIL has suffered 272 fatalities: 261 troops, two military observers, five international civilian staff, and four local staff.
Israeli concerns
Israel has criticized the force for, amongst other things, maintaining a dialogue with Hezbollah, which it views as a terrorist organization, for treating Israeli and Hezbollah violations of security council resolution 1701 equally, while Israel views its violations of Lebanese airspace as less severe than Hezbollah violations including crossings of the blue line and rocket launchings, namely because Hezbollah is an internationally recognised terrorist organisation whose violent actions constitute terror attacks that threaten the lives of Israeli civilians. UNIFIL was accused of complicity in the fatal abduction of IDF soldiers in October 2000, and Israel further blamed it for obstructing its investigation by denying the existence of and then once the existence was leaked, refusing to supply videos of the attack for several months.Prior to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
of July 2006, Israel had been lobbying for UNIFIL to either take a more active role vis-a-vis Hezbollah (for example, preventing Hezbollah from stationing near UNIFIL posts to fire at the IDF and into northern Israel) or to step out of the region (thereby voiding the Lebanese government’s excuse for not deploying Lebanese Armed Forces
Lebanese Armed Forces
The Lebanese Armed Forces or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the Lebanese Army according to its official Website The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) (Arabic: القوات المسلحة اللبنانية | Al-Quwwāt al-Musallaḥa al-Lubnāniyya) or Forces Armées Libanaises in French, also known as the...
along the border).
UNIFIL also came under criticism during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict for broadcasting detailed reports of Israeli troop movements, numbers, and positions on their website which "could have exposed Israeli soldiers to grave danger", while making no such reports about Hezbollah.
Israel was concerned when it was reported that Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
was being considered to replace Italy as commander of UNIFIL's naval force. As Indonesia does not recognize Israel, and the two countries have no diplomatic or military relations, Israel expressed concerned that cooperation with the IDF, especially the Israeli Navy, could deteriorate.
A 2010 book published by Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
journalist Odd Karsten Tveit
Odd Karsten Tveit
Odd Karsten Tveit is a Norwegian journalist, writer and economist. His speciality is the Middle East, a subject on which he has written several books...
revealed that the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
was complicit in the escape of two Lebanese men who were arrested by the Israeli Army and being held in Khiam prison
Khiam detention center
The Khiam Detention Center, located near Khiam, Lebanon, was a French barrack complex originally built in the 1930s. It became a base for the Lebanese army before falling under control of the South Lebanon Army and in 1985 was converted into a prison camp...
. According to the book, in 1992, two detained Lebanese men escaped from Khiam prison. Fearing that they would face torture or execution if caught by the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
or South Lebanon Army
South Lebanon Army
The South Lebanon Army , also "South Lebanese Army," was a Lebanese militia during the Lebanese Civil War. After 1979, the militia operated in southern Lebanon under the authority of Saad Haddad's Government of Free Lebanon...
, the soldiers dressed the detainees in UN uniforms, and placed them in a UNIFIL convoy which left Southern Lebanon through Israeli roadblocks. Shortly afterward, Israeli Army commander Moshe Tamir visited the Norwegian battalion's camp, and accused Norwegian commander Hagrup Haukland of "sheltering terrorists". Immediately after the confrontation, the Lebanese men were smuggled onto a bus used by Norwegian peacekeepers on leave, which took them to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
Hezbollah concerns
Hezbollah supporters have accused UNIFIL of siding with Israel, especially since the passage of Resolution 1701 which they view as one-sided. On 16 October 2006 Sayyed Mohammad Hussein FadlallahSayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah
Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadl-Allāh was a prominent Lebanese Twelver Shi'a marja....
declared that the UN force had “come to protect Israel, not Lebanon”.
Conflict in 2006
According to UNIFIL press releases, there have been dozens of such incidents of UN posts coming under fire during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
. In his 21 July 2006 report about the UNIFIL activities 21 January-18 July 2006, the UN Secretary-General stated that "Some Hezbollah positions remained in close proximity to United Nations positions, especially in the Hula area, posing a significant security risk to United Nations personnel and equipment."
Combat-related incidents
- On 17 July, a UNIFIL international staff member and his wife were killed when Israeli aircraft bombed the Hosh District of Tyre, LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. - On 23 July, Hezbollah fire wounded an Italian observer.
- On 25 July, Hezbollah opened small arms fire at a UNIFIL convoy, forcing it to retreat.
- On 25 July, four soldiers from the Ghanaian battalion were lightly injured after an Israeli tank shell hit a UNIFIL position during fighting in Southern Lebanon on 24 July 2006.
- Shrapnel from tank shells fired by the IDF seriously wounded an Indian soldier on 16 July 2006
- On 25 July 2006 four UNTSO observers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland were killed by Israeli strikes on an OGL patrol base near KhiamKhiam'Khiam' is a town located in South Lebanon Governorate, near the city of Nabatieh. It is located in Southern Lebanon, 750 meters above sea level, 120 km away from Beirut and roughly four kilometers from the Israeli border.The town was the scene of a major confrontation between the Israeli...
in southern Lebanon. According to the UN, the Israelis stated they were responding to "Hezbollah fire from that vicinity" and the four had taken shelter in a bunker under the post. The area around the site was hit by a precision guided bomb from an Israeli jet and shelled a total of 14 times by Israeli artillery throughout the day despite warning calls made by UN personnel to the IDF. However, General Alain PellegriniAlain PellegriniAlain Pellegrini is a French general.A former student of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Pellegrini graduated from general staff schools before being appointed in Africa and the Middle East, and commanding a regiment of the troupes de marine in Fréjus...
, then commander of UNIFIL, claims that he attempted to call Israeli officials "five or six times", but never got past their secretaries. Later, Israeli artillery shelling resumed as a rescue team tried to clear the rubble. - On 29 July, two Indian soldiers were wounded when their post was damaged during an Israeli airstrike in Southern Lebanon.
- On 6 August, a Hezbollah rocket hit the headquarters of the Chinese UNIFIL contingent, wounding three Chinese soldiers.
- On 12 August, a Ghanaian soldier was wounded when Israeli artillery shelled the area near the village of HarisHarissHariss is a village is southern Lebanon, in the region of Bint Jbeil.In November, 2006, Italian UNIFIL soldiers were accused of theft in a military store in this village....
. - On 14 August, Israeli aircraft fired two missiles onto a Palestinian faction in SaidaSidonSidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
, killing UN staff member Abdel Sagir.
Reinforcements
Following the cease-fire, the UNIFIL will receive vast reinforcement, up to 15,000 men, and heavy equipment. France is committed to increase her complement from 400 to 2,000 men and send LeclercLeclerc
The AMX-56 Leclerc, commonly known as the Leclerc, is a main battle tank built by Nexter of France. It was named in honour of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque who led the French element of the drive towards Paris while in command of the Free French 2nd Armoured Division in World War...
heavy tanks and AMX 30 AuF1 self-propelled artillery, in addition to the forces deployed in Opération Baliste
Opération Baliste
Opération Baliste is the codename for the French aeronaval operation off Lebanon aiming at securing citizens of the European Union, since July 2006, in the context of the 2006 Lebanon War.- Components :...
. Italy will send 3,000 troops. Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
will send between 200 and 300 troops.
A naval component of UNIFIL was set up to assist the Lebanese Navy
Lebanese navy
The Lebanese Navy is the Navy of the Lebanese Armed Forces. It was formed in 1950 and based in Beirut Naval Base, Lebanon’s first naval base. The navy, which currently lacks the proper number of equipment, has a number of approximately 50 vessels of various sizes and roles; however, the navy is...
preventing arms proliferation to Hezbollah. This force is under the command of a German admiral with the majority of vessels being provided by the German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
.
The Indonesian contingent
Garuda Contingent
The Garuda Contingent is a group of peacekeepers drawn from the Indonesian military that serve with the :United Nations...
received 12 VAB
Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.- Design :The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the...
(Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé) on 17 February 2007, as the part of the second wave of shipment from the agreement between the French and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n governments. Amongst the equipments sent with the second wave of VABs are 10 tool boxes (pioneering equipment), 10 armored vehicle radio communications unit, HMG
Heavy machine gun
The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
(Heavy Machine Gun) shooter shield, and 40 water jerrycan
Jerrycan
A jerrycan is a robust fuel container originally made from pressed steel. It was designed in Germany in the 1930s for military use to hold 20 litres of fuel. The development of the Jerrycan was a huge improvement on earlier designs, which required tools and funnels to use.-Uses:Today similar...
s.
On 16 March 2009, KRI Diponegoro, a Sigma class corvette
Sigma class corvette
- Modular design :The basic design of the Sigma Patrol Series can vary as the hull segments are designed as components. Ships can vary in the number of hull segments and in the order in which they are placed. Sigma stands for Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approach...
joined UNIFIL Naval Task Force.
On 13 April 2010, the Indonesian Contingent reveived 13 Pindad APS-3 vehicles, known as the Anoa APC.
Confrontations with Israel
On September 22, 2006, French Air ForceFrench Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
jets were seen over the skies of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
during Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan Nasrallah
Hasan Nasrallah, became the third Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary organization Hezbollah after Israel assassinated the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. Hezbollah in its entirety is considered a terrorist organization by The United States, the Netherlands,...
's victory speech, possibly trying to protect him from an Israeli assassination attempt. Nasrallah told the crowd that he had no fear in addressing the masses directly, rather than through armored glass. In September 2006, Hezbollah fighters raided an Israeli arms depot in Shomera
Shomera
Shomera is a moshav in northern Israel. Located near the Lebanese border, it falls under the jurisdiction of Ma'ale Yosef Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 322....
, and made off with a large quantity of sidearms, grenades, anti-tank weapons, and LAU rockets. Five Israeli Merkava
Merkava
The Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
tanks, an armored bulldozer
Armored bulldozer
The armored bulldozer is a basic tool of combat engineering. These combat engineering vehicles combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bulldozers modified by addition of vehicle armor/military...
, and a number of military vehicles entered Lebanon and attempted to search the Hezbollah-controlled village of Marwahin
Marwahin
Marwahin is a town in Lebanon, on its border with Israel.During the 2006 Lebanon War, Marwahin was the site of ground exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. UNIFIL forces reported seeing Hezbollah fire rockets from the vicinity of the village and during operations in Marwahin, and Israel Defense...
for the arms. They were confronted by four French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
Leclerc
Leclerc
The AMX-56 Leclerc, commonly known as the Leclerc, is a main battle tank built by Nexter of France. It was named in honour of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque who led the French element of the drive towards Paris while in command of the Free French 2nd Armoured Division in World War...
tanks, which blocked their advance. The confrontation lasted for half an hour. According to American and German correspondents, the French retreated, while the French commander claimed that the Israelis had turned back. French commander of UNIFIL Alain Pellegrini
Alain Pellegrini
Alain Pellegrini is a French general.A former student of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Pellegrini graduated from general staff schools before being appointed in Africa and the Middle East, and commanding a regiment of the troupes de marine in Fréjus...
stated that France would not intervene to disarm Hezbollah.
On 3 October 2006, an Israeli fighter jet penetrated the 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) defense perimeter of the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
frigate Courbet without answering radio calls, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologized after official protests from the French government.
On 24 October, six Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
F-16 jets flew over the German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
intelligence ship Alster
Alster (A 50)
The Alster is an intelligence ship of the German Navy. She is the lead ship of the German Navy's Type 423.The Alster is a reconnaissance ship, which was originally intended to gather data on Soviet ships. She has a wide array of modern electromagnetic, hydroacoustic, and electro-optic sensors for...
, patrolling off Israel's coast just south of the Lebanese border. The German Defense Ministry said that the planes had given off infrared decoys and one of the aircraft had fired two shots into the air, which had not been specifically aimed. The Israeli military said that a German helicopter took off from the vessel without having coordinated this with Israel, and denied vehemently having fired any shots at the vessel and said "as of now" it also had no knowledge of the jets launching flares over it. Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz
Amir Peretz
Amir Peretz is an Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for the Labour Party. He is a former Defense Minister of Israel and former leader of the Labour Party, having left those positions in June 2007....
telephoned his German counterpart Franz Josef Jung
Franz Josef Jung
Franz Josef Jung is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union . He became Federal Minister of Defence in the Grand coalition cabinet of Angela Merkel on 22 November 2005...
to clarify that 'Israel has no intention to carry out any aggressive actions' against the German peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, who are there as part of UNIFIL to enforce an arms embargo against Hezbollah'. Germany confirmed the consultations, and that both sides were interested in maintaining good cooperation. The Alsters crew had recorded several overflights by Israeli jets in the previous weeks, but claimed that the Israeli aircraft had always stayed at high altitude. The week before the incident, Israeli jets had confronted a German naval helicopter, but turned back after the Germans identified themselves.
On 31 October 2006, eight Israeli F-15s
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
flew over many areas of Lebanon, including Beirut. The jets also flew over a French position in Lebanon. According to the French Defense Minister
Minister of Defence (France)
The Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs is the French government cabinet member charged with running the military of France....
Michele Alliot-Marie
Michèle Alliot-Marie
Michèle Jeanne Honorine Alliot-Marie, born 10 September 1946 and nicknamed MAM, is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement . A member of all but one right-wing governments of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, she was the first woman in France to hold the portfolios of Defense , the...
, the planes came in at what was interpreted as an attack formation, and the peacekeepers were "two seconds" away from firing at the jets with an anti-aircraft missile.
In a report to the Security Council, Annan reported that there were no serious incidents or confrontations, but that peacekeepers reported Israeli flyovers "almost on a daily basis". Israel claimed that the flyovers were to gather intelligence on arms shipments from Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
or Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
for Hezbollah.
On September 6, during a European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
meeting in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, the French Defense Minister announced that the Israeli Air Force had stopped mock air attacks over UNIFIL positions. On November 17, two IAF F-15s overflew UN positions at low altitude and high speed, and two Israeli reconnaissance planes circled the headquarters of the French battalion. French peacekeepers responded by readying their anti-aircraft batteries, and warned that Israeli warplanes conducting mock attacks could be fired on.
UNIFIL commander Alain Pellegrini
Alain Pellegrini
Alain Pellegrini is a French general.A former student of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Pellegrini graduated from general staff schools before being appointed in Africa and the Middle East, and commanding a regiment of the troupes de marine in Fréjus...
and the UN claimed that Israeli flyovers violated the cease-fire and Lebanese sovereignty, and warned that if the diplomatic efforts to stop the overflights failed, force might be used to stop them. Israeli military sources said that the IAF would bomb UNIFIL positions if Israeli aircraft were attacked.
The IAF continued its reconnaissance flights over Lebanon, and despite strong protests, UNIFIL peacekeeping forces did not follow through on their threats to fire at Israeli aircraft. The Lebanese government reported hundreds of overflights by Israeli aircraft, and also claimed that Israeli troops had illegally crossed the border dozens of times, including into the Shebaa farms
Shebaa farms
The Shebaa Farms are a small uninhabited territory claimed by Lebanon, but occupied by Israel which claims they are in Syria's Golan Heights. Syrian policy is to vaguely accept the Lebanese claim, while refusing any binding demarcation until Israeli forces withdraw from the area.The United Nations...
area.
Post-conflict situation
On 24 June 2007, six UNIFIL soldiers (three ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
ns and three Spanish) were killed after their vehicle was hit by an explosive device; two others (both Spanish) were injured in the incident. No group has yet admitted responsibility. The Israeli military believed the attack to be the work of al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
/Global Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
members.
The Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Ambassador Dan Gillerman
Dan Gillerman
Dan Gillerman was Israel's 13th Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He was appointed in July 2002 and assumed his post on January 1, 2003, serving through 2008.- Education :...
, met with UNIFIL commander, Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano, on 15 August 2008, after Israel was accused of unilaterally violating United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 by the almost daily overflights of Lebanese airspace, the continued occupation of the village of Ghajar and Israel's refusal to submit maps of areas on which it dropped cluster munitions during the 2006 Lebanese war.
Following the war, British military historian John Keegan
John Keegan
Sir John Keegan OBE FRSL is a British military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. He has published many works on the nature of combat between the 14th and 21st centuries concerning land, air, maritime, and intelligence warfare, as well as the psychology of battle.-Life and career:John...
predicted that Israel would in the future invade Lebanon and continue attacking until Hezbollah's system of tunnels and bunkers was completely destroyed, as Israel would not tolerate a "zone of invulnerability" occupied by a sworn enemy, or a double threat posed by Hezbollah and Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
rockets, and that Israel might first attack the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Keegan noted that any IDF entry into Southern Lebanon would risk provoking a clash with UNIFIL, but that it is unlikely to deter Israel, as it tends to behave with "extreme ruthlessness" when national survival is at stake.
In 2010, a series of standoffs and clashes erupted between UNIFIL troops and Lebanese villagers in the border region. Villagers accused French peacekeepers of provocative and intrusive patrols, and of taking pictures of people inside their homes. People of Aitaroun town, Marjayoun, accused the French regiments of driving their heavy vehicles through their two-month old tobacco fields, which support many families. UNIFIL was also accused of having stepped up its patrols and of failing to coordinate with the Lebanese Army. In July 2010, the most serious incident occurred when the French regiments decided to carry out exercises unilaterally, without Lebanese units or other regiments. When they went into narrow alleys of Lebanese villages some residents first tried to redirect them out of their private areas. The French fired against the civilians, also arrested a youth driving a motorcycle and destroyed the vehicle. When other civilians saw that, they surrounded and attacked the UNIFIL French troops and without any weapons. The vehicles windows were also smashed by stones from dozens of civilians of all ages, and the French commander was wounded. The French troops were forcibly disarmed by the villagers, and weapons were then handed over to the Lebanese Army. The French unit could not explain why they behaved unilaterally. Their ambassador to the UN said the civilian attack 'was not spontaneous'. Many troops, including the Finnish, Irish, Qataris and Indonesians pulled out of the UNIFIL back in 2007-2008. One reason quoted as some were there for over 30 years (the Irish and Finnish) because of fear of change of the rules of engagement by the NATO forces joining after August 2006 and because of German and French high level statements expressing unlimited support to the Israeli side.
At the request of the United Nations, 7,000 additional Lebanese soldiers were deployed to South Lebanon as approved by the Lebanese Cabinet.
UNIFIL force in 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash
See also : 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash
The 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash occurred on August 3, 2010, between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Israel Defense Forces , after an IDF team attempted to cut down a tree on the Israeli side of the Blue Line, near the Israeli kibbutz of Misgav Am and the Lebanese village of Adaisseh...
The 2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash occurred on August 3, 2010, this clashes marked the deadliest incident along the border since the devastating 2006 Lebanon War. The U.N. force stationed in southern Lebanon urged "maximum restraint" following the clashes along the so-called blue line, a U.N.-drawn border separating Lebanon from Israel. UNIFIL peacekeepers were in the area where the clashes took place. United Nations peacekeepers tried to hold off the routine Israeli tree-pruning that led to a deadly border clash with Lebanese soldiers. An Indonesian U.N. battalion was on the scene, and they did their best to try to prevent it, but they were unable to.
Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n peacekeepers tried to no avail to calm the situation before the clashes erupted. However, the fighting were increasingly intensified, so this small contingent of UNIFIL forces were ordered to retreat or find cover then report back to the base. The Indonesian contingent, under intense gunfire and shelling between the two opposing forces, retreated and returned to their base, but two soldiers accidentally separated from the main group and got trapped in the situation. The stunned and exhausted soldiers were helped by some locals.
UN peacekeepers did not escape the confrontation unscathed. Local TV reported that in some cases, villagers attempted to block UNIFIL vehicles from fleeing the combat zone, demanding that they return and fight. However, current and former UNIFIL officials said that at that point in the conflict, it was out of peacekeepers’ hands. One of former UNIFIL official also explained that he has been in these situations before, and when the opposing sides is determined to shoot each other, there’s nothing UNIFIL force can do. There is also another statement from a former UNIFIL commander concerning about UNIFIL action to preserve neutrality for both sides, he stated that if UNIFIL force intervene to protect IDF, for instance, UNIFIL will be accused by Hizbollah or the people of protecting the Israelis, and collaborating with the enemy. On the other side, if UNIFIL force do the same with the Lebanese, Israel will accuse UNIFIL of collaborating with Hizbollah.
Countries involved
The following countries have either committed troops, are currently active in UNIFIL, or have offered support to UNIFIL in some way. Countries in bold were part of the original UNIFIL force.| Country | Committed Forces (estimated*) | Support Roles |
|---|---|---|
 Bangladesh |
325 | The Bangladesh Navy Bangladesh Navy The Bangladesh Navy is the naval arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. At present the navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, however it is implementing an ambitious procurement and expansion program to ensure the security of Bangladesh's maritime boundary... has one Mod. Type 053H BNS Osman BNS Osman is a modified Type 053H frigate of the Bangladeshi Navy, bought in 1989 from China. She is the first Guided Missile Frigate to enter service with the Bangladesh Navy.-Career:... class FF(G) and one Sea Dragon BNS Madhumati BNS Madhumati is an offshore patrol vessel of the Bangladesh Navy.It is currently serving in Lebanon under the auspices of the United Nations program UNIFIL. It was the first South Asian naval vessel to serve in this volatile region.... class OPV as part of the Maritime Task Force. |
 Belarus |
3 | The Belarus Contingent consist of one surgical team and staff officer in UNIFIL. |
 Belgium |
394 | de-miners Demining Demining or mine clearance is the process of removing either land mines, or naval mines, from an area, while minesweeping describes the act of detecting of mines. There are two distinct types of mine detection and removal: military and humanitarian.Minesweepers use many tools in order to accomplish... , medical and reconstruction teams 1 Karel Doorman class frigate Karel Doorman class frigate The Karel Doorman class is a class of eight multi-purpose frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The class is also known as the "Multi-purpose" or M class.... |
 Brunei |
100 | |
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
160 | 1 Wielingen Class Frigate |
 People’s Republic of China |
1,000 | 200 engineers currently in Lebanon clearing mines and unexploded ordnance, medical team, peacekeeping troops. |
 Denmark |
50 | 2 patrol boats as force protection Royal Danish Navy The Royal Danish Navy is the sea-based branch of the Danish Defence force. The RDN is mainly responsible for maritime defence and maintaining the sovereignty of Danish, Greenlandic and Faroese territorial waters... for German contingent and 144 logistic soldiers, and 10 firefighters from the Danish Emergency Management Agency |
 Fiji |
||
 Finland |
250 | reconstructing roads, bridges and other infrastructure destroyed |
 France |
2,000 | The French Army French Army The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in... has 2,000 ground troops and 13 Leclerc Leclerc The AMX-56 Leclerc, commonly known as the Leclerc, is a main battle tank built by Nexter of France. It was named in honour of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque who led the French element of the drive towards Paris while in command of the Free French 2nd Armoured Division in World War... heavy tanks in Lebanon; in charge of UNIFIL ground forces until February 2007. In addition, French Navy French Navy The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching... ships with 1,700 sailors are deployed off Lebanon in Opération Baliste Opération Baliste Opération Baliste is the codename for the French aeronaval operation off Lebanon aiming at securing citizens of the European Union, since July 2006, in the context of the 2006 Lebanon War.- Components :... , and assisting in UNIFIL operations. |
 Germany |
2,400 | naval ships German Navy The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy... to secure the Lebanese coast and prevent arms smuggling |
 GhanaGhana Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... |
650 | |
 Greece |
176–196 | Elli-class Elli class frigate Elli-class vessels are a group of frigates operated by the Hellenic Navy. The ships are of Dutch origin. The first two ships , which had lengthened hangars and different armament were built specifically for the Hellenic Navy... frigate Frigate A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"... , the HS Kanaris, to patrol against arms smugglers |
 India |
850 | 01 x Standard Infantry Battalion of the Indian Army (Regulars), along with support components from the Corps of Engineers (Sappers), Corps of Signals and other logistic Arms and Services. |
 Indonesia |
1,136 | 850 men in mechanized infantry battalion, 75 men in military police unit, 200 men in force protection company, 11 men UNIFIL staff, 111 men aboard KRI Diponegoro (Sigma class corvette Sigma class corvette - Modular design :The basic design of the Sigma Patrol Series can vary as the hull segments are designed as components. Ships can vary in the number of hull segments and in the order in which they are placed. Sigma stands for Ship Integrated Geometrical Modularity Approach... of the Indonesian Navy Indonesian Navy The role of the Indonesian Navy is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone , to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI... ) |
 Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... |
440(to be deployed by the end of June 2011) | |
 Italy |
2,500 | ground troops; assumed charge of UNIFIL ground forces in February 2007 |
 Malaysia |
360 | Administrative(200) and patrol/quick reaction team (160; including commandos and special forces) |
 Nepal |
850 | infantry battalion |
 Netherlands |
150 | 1 Karel Doorman class frigate Karel Doorman class frigate The Karel Doorman class is a class of eight multi-purpose frigates of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The class is also known as the "Multi-purpose" or M class.... |
 Norway |
100 | naval ships Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support... to secure the Lebanese coast and prevent arms smuggling |
| Denmark |
140 | |
 Portugal |
140 | engineering unit |
 Russia |
400 | engineers |
 Sri Lanka |
150 | Mechanized infantry company with combat support personal and vehicles |
 Slovakia |
6 | medical team |
 Slovenia |
14 | 3 Staff Officers, 8 men strong Recon element, 3 men strong Logistical element (as of November 2007) |
 Spain |
1,500 | de-mining and beach cleaning,mechanized infantry battalion(1 infantry platoon from El Salvador), cavalry squadron, combat engineers , helicopter unit |
 Sweden |
40 | 1 Göteborg class corvette Göteborg class corvette The Göteborg class is a class of corvettes in the Swedish Navy, built between 1990 and 1993. The class is armed with eight RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, one 57mm cannon and one 40mm cannon.... |
 Turkey |
495 | engineering unit to help rebuild damaged bridges and roads; Turkish naval frigate patrolling off the Lebanese coast |
 Qatar |
205 | Qatar Qatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its... , the only Arab nation to contribute to UNIFIL, deployed 205 soldiers to Lebanon in 2007. They mostly provided humanitarian assistance, and three logistics officers worked at UNIFIL headquarters. |
| Total | 13,817 |
* Because the troop figures come from second hand sources, the exact numbers can not be accurately verified. In most cases the sources round and/or estimate the figures to the closet proximity.
Commanders of the force
| Start Date | End Date | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1978 | February 1981 | Emmanuel A. Erskine Emmanuel Erskine Lieutenant General Emmanuel Alexander Erskine is a retired Ghanaian soldier and politician. He is a former Chief of Army Staff of the Ghana army... |
Ghana |
| February 1981 | May 1986 | William O'Callaghan William O'Callaghan Lt-General William O'Callaghan was an Irish Army officer. He attended graduated from the Military College, at The Curragh County Kildare. He is most famous for being the Commanding Officer of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon for a period in the 1980s. He was also a recipient of the French... |
Republic of Ireland |
| June 1986 | June 1988 | Gustav Hägglund Gustav Hägglund Johan Edvin Birger Gustav Hägglund is a retired Finnish general. He was the Chief of Defence 1994—2001, and Chairman of the European Union Military Committee 2001–2004.... |
Finland |
| July 1988 | February 1993 | Lars-Eric Wahlgren | Sweden |
| February 1993 | February 1995 | Trond Furuhovde | Norway |
| April 1995 | 1 October 1997 | Stanislaw Franciszek Wozniak |  Poland |
| February 1997 | September 1999 | Jioje Konousi Koronte George Konrote Major General Jioji Konousi Konrote, MC, better known as George Konrote, is a retired Major-General of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and a former diplomat. From May to December 2006, he was a Fijian Cabinet Minister. He is a native of the island of Rotuma... |
Fiji |
| 30 September 1999 | 1 December 1999 | James Sreenan James Sreenan Lt. General James Sreenan is a former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces.A native of Ballymote, County Sligo, Sreenan has been a member of the army since 1963, serving initially with the 5th Infantry Battalion, as well as 8th Infantry Battalion and 20th Infantry Battalion FCA... |
Republic of Ireland |
| 16 November 1999 | 15 May 2001 | Seth Kofi Obeng Seth Obeng Lieutenant General Seth Kofi Obeng is a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces. He was once also the Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon... |
Ghana |
| 15 May | 17 August 2001 | Ganesan Athmanathan | India |
| 17 August 2001 | 17 February 2004 | Lalit Mohan Tewari | India |
| 17 February 2004 | 2 February 2007 | Alain Pellegrini Alain Pellegrini Alain Pellegrini is a French general.A former student of the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, Pellegrini graduated from general staff schools before being appointed in Africa and the Middle East, and commanding a regiment of the troupes de marine in Fréjus... |
Early Modern France |
| 2 February 2007 | 28 January 2010 | Claudio Graziano Claudio Graziano Lieutenant-General Claudio Graziano is former Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon , serving in the position between 2007-2010.-References:* from the United Nations Department of Public Information.... |
Italy |
| 28 January 2010 | Present | Alberto Asarta Cuevas | Spain |
Commanders of the Maritime Task Force
| Start Date | End Date | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2006 | 16 October 2006 | Giuseppe De Giorgi | Italy |
| 16 October 2006 | March 2007 | Andreas Krause Andreas Krause -External links:*... |
Germany |
| March 2007 | September 2007 | Karl-Wilhelm Bollow | Germany |
| September 2007 | February 2008 | Christian Luther | Germany |
| February 2008 | August 2008 | Ruggiero di Biase | Italy |
| September 2008 | February 2009 | Jean-Louis Kerignard | Early Modern France |
| March 2009 | May 2009 | Jean-Thierry Pynoo | Belgium |
| August 2009 | August 2009 | Ruggiero Di Biase | Italy |
| September 2009 | November 2009 | Jürgen Mannhardt | Germany |
| December 2009 | February 2011 | Paolo Sandalli | Italy |
| February 2011 | Present | Luiz Henrique Caroli |  Brazil |
Personal representatives of the Secretary-General for Southern Lebanon
| Start Date | End Date | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1978 | Jean Cuq | Early Modern France |
|
| 2000 | 15 January 2001 | Rolf Goran Knutsson | Sweden |
| 15 January 2001 | April 2005 | Staffan de Mistura Staffan de Mistura Staffan de Mistura is a long-serving Italian-Swedish diplomat. After a 36 year career in various UN agencies, United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon appointed him as his Special Representative for Iraq on 11 September 2007... |
Sweden |
| April 2005 | Present | Geir Pedersen | Norway |
Fatalities
Belgium: 4,
Fiji: 35,
Finland: 11,
France: 30,
Ghana: 29,
India: 2,
Iran: 1,
Ireland: 47,
Italy: 6,
Lebanon: 6,
Malaysia: 1,
Nepal: 25,
Netherlands: 9,
Nigeria: 10,
Norway: 21,
Philippines: 1,
Poland: 7,
Senegal: 16,
Spain: 7,
Sweden: 7,
United Kingdom: 3.
| Date | Incident |
|---|---|
| 31 May 1999: | An Irish soldier, Pte. William Kedian was killed when IDF/DFF mortar fire hit a UNIFIL position. |
| July–August 2006: | A total of five UN peacekeepers and staff members are killed by Israeli air and artillery strikes targeting Hezbollah fighters. |
| 25 September 2006: | A French engineer officer was killed in a road accident near the town of Sofar. |
| 24 June 2007: | Three Colombian and three Spanish soldiers were killed in a bomb blast between Marjayoun and Khiam. |
| 25 July 2007: | A French soldier was killed near the village of Shama while clearing unexploded munitions. |
| 11 October 2007: | A British man, Craig Appleby (36) was killed while clearing munitions near Bint Jbeil. |
| 12 November 2007: | Two French soldiers were wounded as a result of the accidental discharge of a weapon. One of the wounded men subsequently died while being evacuated to Hospital. |
| 15 June 2008: | A Spanish soldier was killed and two injured in a road accident. |
| 3 September 2008: | A Belgian soldier was killed near the village of Aitaroun while clearing munitions left over from the 2006 conflict. |
| 27 May 2011: | 6 Italian soldiers were wounded when their VM-90 Iveco VM 90 The Iveco VM 90 is an Italian multirole military vehicle. It is a hybrid, somewhere between a truck and tactical SUV, manufactured by Iveco, on the base of the Iveco Daily... military truck was destroyed by a roadside bomb near Sidon. |
Quotes
- " UNIFIL came here in 1978. We were, because at that time there was no Hezbollah here, accused of being sympathetic to Palestinians. A peacekeeping force does not come here with pre-set enemies. There is no enemy [inaudible] in a peacekeeping force. UNIFIL is a peacekeeping force. It's not an Israeli combat force or an anti-terror force, as they would like it to be. As long as we don't serve their direct interests, they are going to denigrate it as much as they can." Timur Goksel, former spokesman of the UNIFIL, 26 July 2006
Controversy
Alain Pellegrini alleged that UN reports on Lebanon were reaching Israeli intelligence.Criticism
UNIFIL has been criticised for being unable to stop the Israeli destruction of civilian buildings and intimidation of civilians during the 2006 invasion, as evidenced by the many destroyed buildings in South Lebanon, still not rebuild by 2011.A former Israeli diplomat, Itamar Rabinovich
Itamar Rabinovich
- External links :* - an official page on the Israeli Embassy website.* , from Jewish Library.* at the Kennedy School of Government.* , NYU biography.* , Haaretz , November 2, 2007.* , another mini-bio....
, cricised the efficacy of the force saying "UNIFIL, I'm afraid, is a joke. They’ve been there for 26 years and since then, there have been so many skirmishes [along the border]." Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
also said "We didn’t like very much UNIFIL which was very useless and very helpless. Look what happened. Did you hear of any particular efforts of the United Nations UNIFIL force in the south of Lebanon to prevent the attacks against Israel in the first place. So they were not useful and that is why we were unhappy with them."
Both Israel and Hezbollah have accused UNIFIL of bias. Israel again accused them of failing to prevent, and even collaborating with, Hezbollah in its replenishment of military power. Hezbollah, in turn, said "certain contingents" of UNIFIL are spying for, if not assisting, Israel.
South Lebanese reception
In the summer of 2010, the French contingent of UNIFIL encountered resistance by residents in several villages that led to injuries on both sides. Their exercise included searching homes, taking photographs and questioning residents in order to identify "Hezbollah members." Residents have also accused the forces of violating private property and of not coordinating with the Lebanese army.On the contrary, India's UNIFIL contingent seems to have rather attracted the goodwill of the South Lebanese population by introducing popular measures such as yoga exercises.
Indonesian UNIFIL contingent (INDOBATT) also gained good reputation within South Lebanese people, this is achieved through Civil Military Coordination (CIMIC) program implemented by the contingent. This program includes many society based activities, such as conducting computer course for local residents, medical assistance and also give technical assistance in rebuilding social facilities.
Norwegian soldier's complaint
A verdictVerdict
In law, a verdict is the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to the jury by a judge. The term, from the Latin veredictum, literally means "to say the truth" and is derived from Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman: a compound of ver and dit In law, a verdict...
of Trondheim District Court
Trondheim District Court
Trondheim District Court was a district court located in and serving Trondheim, Norway. From 1 January 2010, it was merged with Sør-Trøndelag District Court, which was located in the same building. It was subordinate Frostating Court of Appeal....
in 2006 resulted in Norway's government being ordered to pay compensation for tortious injury
Tort
A tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general...
that Knut Braa
Knut Braa
Knut Arnljot Braa is a Norwegian author and veteran of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon who won a lawsuit against Ministry of Defence in 2006.-Trial:The Ministry of Defence admitted that Braa acquired...
acquired as a UNIFIL soldier — Norwegian kroner 1 215 374.
See also
- 1996 shelling of Qana1996 shelling of QanaThe 1996 shelling of Qana or the First Qana massacre, took place on April 18, 1996 near Qana, a village in Southern Lebanon, when artillery shells fired by the Israeli Defence Force hit a United Nations compound. Of 800 Lebanese civilians who had taken refuge in the compound, 106 were killed and...
- 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict2006 Israel-Lebanon conflictThe 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
- Lebanese Civil WarLebanese Civil WarThe Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
- Operation LitaniOperation LitaniThe 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
- South Lebanon conflictSouth Lebanon conflictSouth Lebanon conflict may refer to:*1978 South Lebanon conflict*1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict...
Further reading
- Bregman, Ahron (2002). Israel's Wars: A History Since 1947. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-28716-6
- Mattelaer, Alexander (2009). , Egmont Paper 34 Egmont-Koninklijk Instituut voor Internationale Betrekkingen
Sources
- GlobalSecurity.org Lebanon