The Irish battalion of UNIFIL established an Ashura gathering with free food distribution in the town of Haddatha (Bint Jbeil) on 3 July 2025. (Credit: Local resident to L'Orient Today)
BEIRUT — The Irish UNIFIL battalion established an Ashura gathering with free food distribution in the town of Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), a local resident and a UNIFIL spokesperson told L'Orient Today on Thursday.
“We’ve done it before. We live among these communities and deeply value the relationships we’ve built over the years. We respect their traditions and religious values. Ashura is a significant commemoration, and we want to show solidarity with local communities during this important period,” Andrea Tenenti, UNIFIL spokesperson, told L'Orient Today.
On Saturday, the South Korean peacekeepers battalion also held Ashura gatherings in the cities of Sour and Marjayoun, as part of their activities in southern Lebanon.
This comes after a series of tensions between residents of southern villages and UNIFIL personnel over their movements in certain towns. Such incidents have become frequent, with residents blocking UNIFIL convoys if they are not accompanied by the Lebanese Army. UNIFIL’s freedom of movement without a Lebanese Army escort, legal according to the force's mandate, has come under growing scrutiny, especially amid pressure from Hezbollah. Under Resolution 1701, UNIFIL is authorized to operate independently "in the areas where its forces are deployed." The force operates under Chapter VI of the U.N. Charter, which does not authorize the use of force to carry out its mandate. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Army lacks sufficient personnel to accompany all UNIFIL patrols at all times.
A scheduled U.N. vote in August aims to renew the force’s mandate. The mandate’s future has drawn attention following reports in the Israeli press suggesting the United States and Israel may oppose its renewal. However, a U.S. diplomatic source told L’Orient-Le Jour that reports of a U.S. veto were "inaccurate."
Lebanon continues to await the outcome of the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate amid ongoing daily Israeli attacks despite the ceasefire in place since Nov. 2024, after a 13-month long war between Hezbollah and Israel.
