Meeting at the Ministry of Interior between Ahmad Hajjar (right) and a UNIFIL delegation on June 5, 2025. (Credit: X/@MOIM_Lebanon)
The Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmad Hajjar, met on Thursday in his office in Beirut with the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), General Aroldo Lázaro, to whom he expressed Lebanon's desire to "maximize cooperation" with the peacekeepers. This statement comes as the renewal of the U.N. force is expected by August, a process often fraught with controversy, with each party trying to push for amendments to the peacekeepers' mandate, notably Hezbollah concerning patrols' freedom of movement.
The two officials discussed UNIFIL's mission in Lebanon and the "close cooperation" between the U.N. force and the Lebanese state to fully implement Resolution 1701, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA). U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 served as a framework for the cease-fire agreement concluded in late November 2024 in Lebanon and aims notably at dismantling Hezbollah's infrastructure south of the Litani, where the Lebanese Army is to deploy, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, where they continue to occupy five positions. Hajjar also emphasized "Lebanon's will to maximize cooperation, especially at this stage."
While UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army continue their missions under the truce agreement, peacekeepers are regularly targeted by "locals" in southern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah and the Amal Movement have strong political influence.
The meeting between Hajjar and the UNIFIL delegation was held following the announcement by the U.N. Secretary-General of the appointment of a new commander for the force. Italian General Diodato Abagnara will soon replace his Spanish colleague, who has been leading the peacekeepers in Lebanon since 2022.