Lebanese Army soldiers inspect the area after an Israeli abduction operation in Batroun, Nov. 2, 2024. (Credit: Ibrahim Chalhoub/AFP)
Lebanon has never been shielded from outside influence. The idea of placing the country under a sort of international tutelage reemerged in the past few years, especially after the August 2020 Beirut port blast. The proposal involved boosting maritime and airport surveillance, with the participation of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) and other entities. Amid the Syria war a few years earlier, the focus was on the Lebanon-Syria border control. The proposals ranged from strengthening the Lebanese Army’s presence near the border, to the UK setting up surveillance towers, and even widening U.N. Resolution 1701’s mandate to include Anti-Lebanon mountains. Today, all these discussions are revived behind the diplomatic scenes, in parallel with Israeli and international proposals on how to ensure the implementation of U.N. Resolution...
Lebanon has never been shielded from outside influence. The idea of placing the country under a sort of international tutelage reemerged in the past few years, especially after the August 2020 Beirut port blast. The proposal involved boosting maritime and airport surveillance, with the participation of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) and other entities. Amid the Syria war a few years earlier, the focus was on the Lebanon-Syria border control. The proposals ranged from strengthening the Lebanese Army’s presence near the border, to the UK setting up surveillance towers, and even widening U.N. Resolution 1701’s mandate to include Anti-Lebanon mountains. Today, all these discussions are revived behind the diplomatic scenes, in parallel with Israeli and international proposals on how to ensure the implementation of U.N....
