What use is UNIFIL?

Dear editor:

On July 27, Hezbollah launched an Iranian-supplied rocket from southern Lebanon, murdering 12 children and teenagers playing soccer in the Israeli town of Majdal Shams. According to the August 3 article, "Hezbollah forces resume steady rocket, artillery fire against Israel," UNIFIL, the United Nations "peacekeeping force" in Lebanon, told Reuters it "had not investigated the incident" because the Israeli town "is outside its mandated area of operation.

The rocket was fired from the Lebanese town of Chebaa. Like thousands of other rockets Hezbollah has fired at Israel since October 7, it was fired from south of the Litani River.

UNIFIL was expanded and strengthened after the war Hezbollah started in 2006 and given the mandate to ensure no armed militias, including Hezbollah, had any presence south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. This was to be a prelude to the official Lebanese army being the only armed force in all of Lebanon.

Today, under the eyes of UNIFIL, Hezbollah has completely taken over southern Lebanon and has installed an estimated 150,000 rockets, primarily inside homes. It has launched attacks on Israel while UNIFIL forces stood by, watching and doing nothing.

This brings up an obvious question: what useful purpose does UNIFIL actually serve?

Sincerely,

Alan Stein

Sent August 3, 2024 to the MetroWest Daily News

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