France urges UN to keep peacekeepers in Lebanon as US blocks extension
France has pressed the UN Security Council to revisit the planned withdrawal of UNIFIL from southern Lebanon, but the United States firmly opposes any mandate extension.
After Lebanon appealed to the UN to reconsider the timetable for dismantling the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), France moved to reopen the Security Council decision that would end the mission, arguing that deteriorating security and continued Israeli contacts justify a longer presence. The French ambassador raised the matter without submitting a written proposal, marking the first serious attempt to overturn the 2027 withdrawal plan.
The United States, represented by Ambassador Mike Waltz, categorically refused an extension, labeling the force ineffective and warning against repeating past mistakes. European allies voiced general support for France, while China and Russia declined to comment. Concurrently, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi reported security warnings that kept him from his office, reflecting internal tensions.
UN officials, including acting coordinator Carlos Arnáu and under-secretary-general Jean-Pierre Lacroix, linked Hezbollah’s armament to the ongoing Israeli military presence and warned of a security vacuum if UNIFIL departs prematurely. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the extension, insisting the force had failed to curb Hezbollah’s buildup and that responsibility will shift to the Lebanese government and army after the mandate ends.
