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1 1 (August 26, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveekz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 'Congressional Research Service August 26, 2021 United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Since 1978, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been deployed in the Lebanon-Israel-Syria triborder area. The formal boundaries dividing the three countries remain disputed. The United States has supported UNIFIL financially and diplomatically, with the aim of bolstering and expanding the authority of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in UNIFIL's operating area (see Figure 1) in southern Lebanon, a region historically dominated by Hezbollah (also spelled Hizballah). Evolution of UNIFIL Mandate UNIFIL's initial mandate was to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, restore peace and security, and assist the Lebanese government in restoring its authority in southern Lebanon (a traditionally Shi'a area that became a Hezbollah stronghold in the 1980s). In May 2000, Israel withdrew its forces from southern Lebanon. The following month, the United Nations identified a 120 km interim boundary line between Lebanon and Israel to use as a reference for the purpose of confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The Line of Withdrawal, commonly known as the Blue Line, is not an international border demarcation between the two states. Following the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, UNSCR 1701 (2006) increased UNIFIL's troop ceiling and expanded its mandate to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities between the two sides, accompanying and supporting the LAF as they deployed throughout southern Lebanon, and helping to ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations. UNSCR 1701 authorized UNIFIL to assist the Lebanese government in the establishment of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL between the Blue Line and the Litani River, which UNIFIL defines as its area of operations (See Figure 1). UNSCR 1701 also calls upon the government of Lebanon to secure its borders and asks UNIFIL to assist the Government of Lebanon at its request. Implementation of UNSCR 1701 According to UNIFIL, Any unauthorized crossing of the Blue Line by land or by air from any side constitutes a violation of Security Council resolution 1701. Since 2007, UNIFIL has worked with Lebanese and Israeli authorities to mark the Blue Line on the ground via 272 blue barrels, a contested process that stalled in 2017 and remains unfinished. UNIFIL continues to monitor violations of UNSCR 1701, and the U.N. Secretary-General reports regularly to the U.N. Security Council on the implementation of UNSCR 1701. These reports have listed violations by Hezbollah, such as the construction of underground tunnels that cross beneath the Blue Line, as well as violations by Israel, such as regular incursions into Lebanese airspace. ittps://crsreport,, Figure I. UNIFIL Area of Operations Boundaries are not necessardly authoritative. the United states recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israei in 20W9 U.N Security Councdl Resolution 497, ad opred on Deceiner 17, 1981 held that the area of the GWan Heights controlled by israel t military is orcupied territory belonging to Syria, Source: Created by CRS. Boundaries from ESRI and U.S. State Department. Notes: UNDOF = United Nations Disengagement Observer Force. Size and Structure UNIFIL is headquartered in the Lebanese town of Naqoura, 14 miles south of Tyre. Its leadership rotates among troop- contributing states; since 2018 UNIFIL has been led by Major General Stefano Del Col (Italy). As of August 2021, UNIFIL deploys approximately 10,300 troops from 46 countries in a 1060 square km zone roughly a third the size of Rhode Island. The largest troop contributing countries are Italy, Indonesia, Nepal, Ghana, and India. (U.S. forces do not participate in UNIFIL). UNIFIL also has a civilian staff of roughly 800. UNIFIL's mandate falls under Chapter VI of the U.N. Charter, which allows for the use of force primarily in self-defense, rather than Chapter VII, which would enable enforcement by military means. Since 1978, UNIFIL has reported 323 fatalities. Three-quarters of reported fatalities occurred prior to 2000. Maritime Task Force Since the discovery in 2009 of large offshore gas fields in the Mediterranean, unresolved issues over the demarcation of Lebanon's land border with Israel have resulted in disputes over maritime boundaries, and in 2011 Lebanese authorities called on the U.N. to establish a maritime equivalent of the Blue Line. U.N. officials stated that UNIFIL does not have the authority to establish a maritime boundary. However, UNIFIL has maintained a Maritime .congress.gov

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