UN diplomats have recently suggested expanding the buffer zone between Lebanon and Israel as a precaution to prevent further escalation between Hezbollah and Israel and a spillover of the Gaza war into Lebanon, according to the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
In an article published on Thursday, the daily quoted a diplomat of the five permanent members of the Security Council as expressing the council’s worry about the deteriorating situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border and warning against any kind of “provocations that could aggravate matters further.”
The interlocutors underlined, in a closed-door meeting held by the Security Council on Tuesday, the necessity for UNIFIL to have a “more effective” role and “preparedness” in order to de-escalate tensions. They also explored ways to expand the buffer zone to protect Israel from attacks from the Lebanese side and for the Lebanese Army to control the situation in south Lebanon, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
“This would help thousands of displaced people on both sides of the border return to their villages. To that end, bolstering the role of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL is essential,” said the diplomats, agreeing on the necessity to address the tension along the Blue Line, appease the security situation, and stop the provocations on both sides of the border.
The closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday discussed the latest report of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and efforts to implement UN Resolution 1701 amid the daily exchange of fire between Lebanon and Israel.
In his report, Guterres cautioned that the clashes in the south posed big risks for the stability of Lebanon, Israel, and the region as a whole and demanded a political approach to address the root causes of the conflict based on UN resolution 1701.
