U.N. Warns against Attempts to Destabilize Lebanon as it Extends UNIFIL Mandate

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday warned against attempts to destabilize Lebanon as it renewed the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country for another year.

The renewal of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon came amid mounting concerns about the impact of the 17-month-old war in Syria on its neighbor.

More than 150,000 Syrians are said to have fled to Lebanon where pro- and anti-Syrian President Bashar Assad factions have fought deadly clashes.

The Security Council condemned "all attempts to threaten the security and stability of Lebanon, reaffirming its determination to ensure that no such acts of intimidation will prevent UNIFIL from implementing its mandate," said the Council resolution on the U.N. force.

The Council also expressed "deep concern" at violations of Resolution 1701 that ended the war between Israel and Hizbullah in 2006, and condemned “in the strongest terms” all attacks against UNIFIL.

A roadside bomb wounded five French peacekeepers in southern Lebanon in December.

The Council reiterated its calls for the rapid finalization of the investigation by the Lebanese government into three attacks on the mission carried out in 2011.

It strongly called on all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities, prevent any violation of the Blue Line and cooperate fully with UNIFIL, the Council and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to make tangible progress towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution, as envisioned in Resolution 1701.

The Council also urged Israel to speed up the withdrawal of its army from the northern part of the border village of Ghajar without further delay, in coordination with UNIFIL.

UNIFIL has been in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was expanded after the 2006 war so peacekeepers could deploy along the border with Israel. The U.N. says 11,530 troops were on the ground at the end of July.

The resolution, passed unanimously by the 15-nation council, extended the force's mandate until August 31, 2013.