Defense Minister Backs UNIFIL, Condemns Attacks

Minister of National Defense Michel Menassa visited the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters in Naqoura, where he met with Force Commander General Aroldo Lázaro.
The meeting, attended by officers from both UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces, addressed recurring tensions between peacekeepers and local residents in southern Lebanon.
In an English-language address, Minister Menassa praised UNIFIL's steadfast presence since its 1978 deployment following extensive Israeli aggression that claimed 2,000 lives and caused widespread displacement and destruction. He underscored that UNIFIL has become part of the fabric of southern Lebanese society, sharing in both its trials and celebrations.
Menassa urged the international community to renew UNIFIL's mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 without amendments, calling it 'crucial for maintaining the stability and peace your mission has fostered over the years.' He emphasized the Lebanese state's unwavering commitment to full implementation of the resolution and pledged close coordination between the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL in securing the south, enabling the return of displaced communities, and promoting reconstruction.
Highlighting the cost of peacekeeping, Menassa recalled casualties during major conflicts including in 1982, 1993, 1996, 2006, and the recent devastating war that ravaged southern Lebanon, parts of Beirut and the Bekaa. 'Through these immense challenges, you have remained steadfast … driven by moral integrity and humanitarian commitment,' he noted.
The minister strongly condemned all aggression against UNIFIL personnel, stating that such acts 'serve only the enemy by obstructing the shared mission we all seek to uphold.' He also paid tribute to outgoing Commander Lázaro as his term approaches its end, commending his leadership in one of the world's most volatile theatres.
'On behalf of the South, of its people, and of Lebanon—thank you,' concluded Minister Menassa, expressing deep gratitude for UNIFIL's enduring solidarity with the Lebanese people.

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