UN chief Antonio Guterres said that peacekeepers will be needed in Lebanon after the mandate of the current mission expires at year-end —an option likely to face opposition from the United States and Israel, AFP reports.
In a report to the Security Council seen by AFP, Guterres proposes three options ranging from nearly 2,000 to more than 5,500 UN personnel to monitor the ceasefire and support the Lebanese armed forces.
“Under all proposed options, a uniformed United Nations presence working to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, liaison and coordination, and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, would be necessary… towards the overarching objective of a long-term solution to the conflict,” the report says.
