BICOM

A roadside bomb in the town of Sidon which injured six French soldiers attached to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) earlier this week is being seen by Israeli defence officials as a warning by Hezbollah to the UN forces not to change their rules of engagement in southern Lebanon. The attack comes in the approach to a planned review of UNIFIL’s rules of engagement, due in mid-August. Israel has been lobbying diplomats associated with countries that contribute to UNIFIL – in particular France, Spain and Italy – to bring about a change in the rules of engagement, which would enable UNIFIL troops to enter populated areas in southern Lebanon without prior coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Such a move, if approved, would also need to be supported by the government of Lebanon. Israeli officials consider that the bomb in Sidon was a message from Hezbollah not to attempt any change in this area.

The issue of UNIFIL’s rules of engagement regarding entry into populated areas is of particular importance, because Israel considers that Hezbollah has rebuilt its military infrastructure largely from within built up areas south of the Litani River. UNIFIL is highly visible in southern Lebanon, and carries out a large number of patrols daily. These patrols, however, take place largely along recognised patrol routes outside of populated areas, at fixed times of the day. Israeli officials consider that this modus operandi is failing to engage with the reality of Hezbollah rearmament in south Lebanon, contrary to the stipulations of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Lebanon War. Israel considers that UNIFIL should have freedom of entry into populated areas without prior consultation with the LAF, which has a large Shia rank and file, includes many soldiers and commanders who may provide information to Hezbollah.