UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) was created in 1978 by the United Nations to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area. The UNIFIL has very negative reputation in Israel, as it is accused in aiding Hizbullah's terror against Israel. When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 the Israeli forces overran the UN-positions which were then left behind the Israeli lines.
However, on July2001 it was revealed that UNIFIL soldiers aided Hizbullah in the abduction of three Israeli soldiers on October2000. The UNIFIL forces also documented the events on video but refuse to give Israel the tape or help retrieve the kidnapped soldiers. On 2004, the 3 bodies of the kidnapped soldiers were retrieved in a prisoner swap deal with Hizbullah. In September2004 the bereaved families announced they will sue the UN, Hizbullah, Syria, Iran and Lebanon for the abduction of their sons. [1] (http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=11009)
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978, to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area.
UNIFIL is currently primarily deployed along the U.N. drawn Blue Line dividing Israel (and the disputed Golan Heights) and southern Lebanon.
UNIFIL trucks and armoured personnel carriers, which were engaged in delivering humanitarian aid to the population, were often delayed or stopped altogether as a result of firing by Israeli artillery and aircraft, despite assurances from IDF that all UNIFIL humanitarian missions would be facilitated.
UNIFIL was assisted in the performance of its tasks by 57 military observers of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.
In similar circumstances in the past, I have recommended that UNIFIL's mandate be extended in view of the importance of its contribution to stability and the measure of protection it is able to afford to the civilian population.
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