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Continued German support for UNIFIL
German participation in UNIFIL
© picture-alliance/dpa
German participation in UNIFIL
German participation in UNIFIL
© picture-alliance/dpa
The Federal Government intends to extend Germany’s participation in the UNIFIL mission. The Federal Cabinet made this decision on 6 June. The Bundestag must now give its approval.
The current Bundestag mandate, which expires on 30 June 2012, is to be extended by one year. At present Germany has around 230 soldiers, two patrol boats, and a tender in UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force. The maximum number of soldiers is to remain at 300.
The German Government has a strong interest in lasting peace in the Middle East. In 2006, the Lebanese Government asked the United Nations to monitor its borders from the sea. The goal is to prevent radical Islamist terrorist groups from smuggling weapons. Another priority of the mandate is training support for the Lebanese navy. The aim is to gradually transfer responsibility for monitoring Lebanon’s maritime borders into Lebanese hands. Since the last extension of the UNIFIL mandate in June 2011, concern over the security situation has increased because of domestic tensions and the conflict in neighbouring Syria.
The basis of UNIFIL is United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) of August 2006 and the annual follow‑up resolutions. The goal is to secure the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which has been in place since 14 August 2006.
Last updated 06.06.2012