diplomacy
Baerbock in Lebanon – visit to the UN peacekeeping mission
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is continuing her diplomatic mission to the Middle East. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
After her talks in Israel, the West Bank and Egypt, Baerbock visits another trouble spot. Israel and the Shiite militia Hezbollah face each other on the border with Lebanon.
In view of the increased tensions in the conflict, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is intervening Israel and the Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon continue their diplomatic Middle East mission.
Today the Green politician wants to find out about the current situation during a visit to the UN observation mission Unifil in the capital Beirut. Since the war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip began on October 7th, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in the border area of both countries have increased significantly. Hezbollah is allied with Hamas.
Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran, is increasingly firing projectiles into Israel from Lebanon. Israel usually responds to this with attacks on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The Gaza war was triggered by the unprecedented attack by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups on border towns in Israel on October 7th.
Baerbock’s program in Beirut also includes talks with the acting Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the commander of the armed forces, General Joseph Aoun.
In the oldest UN peacekeeping mission
Unifil has been monitoring the border area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. The Blue Helmet mission is considered one of the oldest active UN observer missions. There are currently just over 10,000 soldiers involved in the operation. The Bundeswehr is there with around 200 soldiers. The mandate allows the deployment of up to 300 German soldiers.
Visit to the frigate “Baden-Württemberg”
Baerbock also wants to find out about the work of the Bundeswehr soldiers on the German frigate “Baden-Württemberg” in the port of Beirut. The ship has been on Unifil mission with around 120 soldiers since October 20th. The mission is intended to support the Lebanese government, among other things, in securing the maritime borders and preventing weapons smuggling by sea. This is the first mission ever for the ship of the new F125 frigate type, which went into service in 2019.
Deadly battles at the border again and again
In the border area between Israel and Lebanon monitored by Unifil, there are almost daily battles between Hezbollah and the Israeli military following Hamas’ major attack on Israel. After the killing of Hamas leader Saleh Al-Aruri in the capital Beirut at the beginning of January, concerns have grown that the conflict will spread to Lebanon and the region. Hezbollah suspects Israel is behind the action.
Buffer zone since the end of 2006
At the end of the second Lebanon war in 2006, a buffer zone was set up in southern Lebanon. UN Resolution 1701 banned the deployment of Lebanese Hezbollah militias south of the Litani River, the border area with Israel. The Lebanese military should be stationed in southern Lebanon. The Israeli troops, in turn, had to retreat behind the Blue Line – the border.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, Hezbollah has repeatedly fired from the buffer zone. Since then, Israel has increasingly invaded Lebanese airspace. It calls for Hezbollah’s withdrawal in accordance with Resolution 1701 north of the Litani River, which is about 30 kilometers from the border. So far, Hezbollah has not agreed to this. Analysts believe that the Shiite militia could agree to a compromise, but not without benefiting from it themselves.
Tens of thousands displaced due to growing tensions
According to the Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 76,000 people in Lebanon have already been displaced due to growing tensions since October. A large part of it comes from the areas that lie directly on the border with the neighboring state of Israel. On the Israeli side, according to Israel’s Defense Minister Joav Galant, more than 80,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their hometowns in the border area.
Onward flight to the Philippines
The Federal Foreign Minister wants to travel on to Southeast Asia in the afternoon. She wants to meet her colleagues Enrique Manalo (Philippines), Mohamad Hasan (Malaysia) and Vivian Balakrishnan (Singapore) as well as representatives of civil society in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore by Friday.
According to a spokesman for the Foreign Office, the focus is on deepening relationships with key partners in the region. Against the background of China’s increasingly aggressive policy there, freedom of sea routes and maritime security should also play a role. In addition, it should, among other things, be about cooperation in the skilled sector.