Source: United Nations (video statements)
Press conference by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, on his recent trip to the Middle East.
After visiting the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Lebanon and Syria, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told journalists in New York that “a number of aggressive incidents” have been putting peacekeepers “in danger coming from the Israel Defence Forces.”
Briefing remotely from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Lacroix said, “until 31 December 2026, UNIFIL will continue to support Lebanese Armed Forces, will continue to deliver on its mandate. So, there is no pre-drawdown mandate. We want to do our best and our colleagues in UNIFIL want to support as best as they can the further progress in the implementation of resolution 1701.”
UNIFIL’s mandate was granted a final extension until the end of the year by the Security Council.
The peacekeeping Chief said, “the number of aggressive incidents or hostile incidents or at least incidents that have been really putting our colleagues in danger coming from the Israel Defence Forces, the frequency of these incidents has been quite high, has been increasing.”
He said, “when meeting with the Israeli counterparts, I indicated to them that this was extremely concerning, that a number of these incidents could have been, could have had very tragic consequences on our peacekeepers. And I called upon them to do what it takes to avoid, these incidents moving forward.”
Regarding UNDOF, Lacroix said, “the military observers operate under a context that has changed dramatically since the Israel Defence Forces entered in the area of separation, where there can be only UNDOF as a military presence, and there are currently ten positions from the IDF in that area, the so-called area of separation. And that is of course creating a different environment, which of course the impact of which we are trying to mitigate.”
He stressed that “UNDOF’s mandate is based on the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Syria and Israel. And of course, the, what we would want is a return to the situation where, you know, that agreement is fully implemented. That is to say, where UNDOF would be the only military presence in the area of separation and the other provisions of that agreement would be fully respected.”
Lacroix Middle East trip included visits o UN peacekeeping in Lebanon and Syria, as well as Jordan and is currently in Jeddah discussing regional stability and UN peacekeeping roles amidst ongoing tensions, particularly concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict.