Unifil Ii: Emerging And Evolving European Engagement In Lebanon And The Middle East - Ifi Paper

IFI Paper | January 2009
UNIFIL II: Emerging and Evolving European  Engagement in Lebanon and the Middle EastKarim Makdisi, Timur Göksel, Hans Bastian Hauck, and Stuart Reigeluth
There has been a long-standing debate on the merits and drawbacks of UNIFIL, the UN “interim” peacekeeping operation established by UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 425 and 426 in the aftermath of Israel’s 1978 invasion of Lebanon. Following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War, this debate intensified as UNIFIL’s original mandate was made more “robust” by UNSC Resolution 1701, which marked a new phase of UN peacekeeping in Lebanon — hence the use of the term “UNIFIL-II” in this paper to distinguish it from the original UNIFIL.1 While the extent to which this new “robustness” has succeeded in transforming UNIFIL II into a more effective peacekeeping unit is controversial, there is no doubt that it has become a European-led UN operation. Over the past decade, the European Union (EU) has increasingly intervened in conflict and post-conflict situations throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It has also maintained a strong interest in supporting the various strands of the Middle East peace process and pushing for a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. Pursuing a ‘soft power’ approach to conflict resolution and peace-building, the EU has however generally been frustrated in this role due to overpowering US influence in the region. UNIFIL II was thus seen by many in the EU as both an opportunity to demonstrate its increased commitment to the region and as a potential test case for intervention in other parts of the Middle East, including Palestine. This report suggests lessons that can be drawn from UNIFIL’s three decade-old “interim” experience that should be considered by the EU as it continues to clarify its emerging role in the Middle East amidst the realities on the ground and the natural constraints of any peace operation.