Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has formally conveyed Israel's position to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling for the immediate termination of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) operations in southern Lebanon, Israel Hayom has learned. In a letter sent in recent days, Sa'ar argued that UNIFIL has failed its core mission – to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River – as evidenced by the group's continued military buildup following the Second Lebanon War.
Gideon Sa'ar said, "The force was intended to be temporary from the outset and has failed in its fundamental task – to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River."
UNIFIL was established to enforce UN resolutions related to Lebanon, including preventing Hezbollah's rearmament after the 2006 war, but has not succeeded in this objective. Israel Hayom reported in June that both the US and Israel had an initial agreement to end UNIFIL's operations, and this position has now been formalized with clear explanations as to why this should be done.
The request comes ahead of UN discussions scheduled for late August to renew UNIFIL's mandate and follows extensive deliberations within Israel's political and security establishment. Sa'ar is expected to meet Rubio, who also serves as the US national security advisor, during a visit to Washington next week.
In his letter, Sa'ar emphasized that Israel seeks an immediate end to UNIFIL's mandate. As an alternative, he suggested a temporary extension of six months to one year to allow for an proper disbanding, enabling the Lebanese Armed Forces to redeploy in southern Lebanon and UNIFIL to evacuate its positions in an orderly way. During this interim period, UNIFIL's activities would focus on specific tasks, such as clearing explosives and mines, training the Lebanese army, and organizing the withdrawal of its forces.
Sa'ar further noted that the recent war and Hezbollah's significant weakening present a historic opportunity to achieve two goals: disarming Hezbollah and supporting the Lebanese army in asserting full sovereignty over its territory.
He criticized UNIFIL's 47-year presence, highlighting that its name, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, indicates its temporary nature. Sa'ar said, "It failed in its fundamental task – to prevent Hezbollah's entrenchment south of the Litani River – as proven by the recent war." He also accused UNIFIL of consistently presenting a misleading picture in its reports to the UN Security Council.
