UNIFIL in Lebanon

UNIFIL in Lebanon! Why is it stationed in Lebanon and what has it accomplished since resolution 1701 was put in place?

This is what an ex-Finnish UNIFIL soldier said about what they were doing in Lebanon.

"I was part of the Finnish contingent in 2023-2024. Our main duty was to assist and patrol with the Lebanese army in the area. We would observe and gather information. Before the conflict when there wasn't much going on we would for example. Count the amount of Amal or Hezbollah flags in a village, are stores open, was the attitude of the population positive or hostile. When the conflict started we started counting destroyed buildings in villages, civilians in the streets, any women or children, groups of men, ambulances etc.

If we found weapons or rocket sites then we would inform the Lebanese army soldiers patrolling with us and they would handle it. Our ROE before the conflict was that if we observed a possible/imminent rocket launch then we would intervene and attempt to prevent it by any means necessary. When the conflict began this changed, we would inform the Lebanese and follow their lead. Also we were told if they managed to launch then we should leave Asap as the Israelis were quick with counter battery fire. My rotation never encountered a scenario where we there was an imminent launch and we saw it, so I don't know how a situation like that would have played out really.

In my own personal opinion I think UNIFIL is a failure. A lot of the forces are composed of 3rd world countries who are there merely because the UN pays them. They drive around in MRAPS or other armoured vehicles with bad visibility, foot patrols were no longer allowed after the conflict started so they cant see shit on their patrols. Some countries were also not performing their patrols, they would drive somewhere and wait for a few hours, then drive back to base and say the completed the patrol. We were tasked on a few occasions to patrol the sectors of other countries and report how many patrols we saw because the higher ups in Naqoura HQ didn't trust them.

The Lebanese army is incapable of stopping Hezbollah. They drive in humvees that break down uphill or cant drive too slowly because the car will die otherwise. Some guys were actually competent, but there were guys that seemed to not want to work with us. They would refuse to drive certain paths claiming it was dangerous, they would take wrong turns, they got mad when we took photos of weapons we found. Also all patrol paths are sent to the Lebanese army, they know which route and which time well drive it. This information is almost certainly relayed to Hezbollah, so they know to avoid us or hide their stuff. To my understanding Israel is also informed about our patrols as to avoid them shooting at us.

The most UNIFIL has done is stimulate the local economy. Also the CIMIC guys are able to help out local villages with infrastructure and projects. The whole operation is a taxpayer funded holiday".

The above gives an excellent insight into the operational level of such a mission in Lebanon. What Hezbollah did in Lebanon, is exactly the same as what happened in Gaza under Hamas. Is it a case of "Unifil brings so much money to the local economy that nobody wants them to leave, even when nobody knows what they are supposed to be doing there". UNIFIL has vague undefined goals and parameters, but does that mean they should just continue to exist without oversight because no one knows what it's supposed to be doing??

Surely for the purpose of 'observing' is a job that anyone can do that. Observing but yet not reported, as we have had anyone call for urgent emergency meetings in the last year since 8 October. In parallel the Secretary General Antonio Guterres has done nothing over the years to implement 1701, so one must ask what is going on in the United Nations these days? These organisations are in place to oversee and implement such basic resolutions must take full responsibility for their complete and utter failure.

There needs to be a constructive discussion about UNIFIL being paid $500 million dollars of taxpayers funding annually. But constructive is not something that happens these days at these meetings, because there is always a pre-determined outcome, which means that we know the result before a resolution or question is raised when it comes to Israel which in itself is a joke. It's too late when a year later Israel is forced to respond and to clear the infrastructure that Hizbollah built in Lebanon. This has caused 70,000 civilians in Israel to be displaced in Israel for more than a year. The lack of transparency and the lack of any kind of action by the United Nations itself, has ultimately caused loss of life.

Many questions that need to be addressed and answered!