UNIFIL: Enabling Hezbollah, Undermining Peace

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), originally established in 1978, has become a textbook example of bureaucratic inefficiency and toothless diplomacy. Its mandate to maintain peace and security along the Israel-Lebanon border has been marked by decades of failure, culminating in its inability to disarm Hezbollah or prevent the buildup of weapons in southern Lebanon.

Despite UNIFIL’s extensive presence, Hezbollah has effectively expanded its military infrastructure right under the peacekeepers’ noses, rendering their role almost laughable. Time and again, Israel has raised alarms about Hezbollah’s violations, yet UNIFIL’s passive response has emboldened the terrorist organization rather than deterred it.

This isn’t just about inefficacy—UNIFIL, through its very inaction, has become an enabler of the status quo that threatens regional stability. Their reluctance to confront Hezbollah’s operations in violation of UN Resolution 1701 reveals a glaring disconnect between their stated mission and actual actions. Instead of providing security, UNIFIL serves as a buffer that gives Hezbollah breathing room to regroup, rearm, and operate with impunity.

In a region as volatile as the Middle East, peacekeeping missions that turn a blind eye to terrorism not only fail but actively undermine the very peace they claim to preserve. UNIFIL is long overdue for a serious overhaul, if not outright replacement. Its presence has not prevented conflict, but arguably facilitated Hezbollah’s continued threat to Israel and Lebanon alike.

UNIFIL’s mission has been clear: observe everything, change nothing, and hope for the best.