China urges UNIFIL withdrawal from Lebanon as conflict escalates | United Nations News

UNIFIL has suffered mounting casualties as Israel continues to fire at planes despite its cease-fire and Hezbollah has responded with rockets and drones.

China’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Fu Cong, said that there is a need to review the decision of the UN Security Council to end the long-standing peacekeeping operation in Lebanon, which should end at the end of this year.

Speaking to reporters on Friday at UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Fu expressed China’s deep concern for the situation in Lebanon as Beijing takes over the presidency of the council in May.

He noted that a real end does not exist in Lebanon, describing the current state of conflict as a “small fire”.

“We believe that we should reconsider the decision, to withdraw UNIFIL,” Fu said, using the acronym for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.

“I think the opinion of the majority of the Security Council is that now is not the time to withdraw UNIFIL from the region,” Fu said.

China is waiting for a report from the UN Secretariat, which is expected in June, “before we take our responsibility”, he added.

Fu also said, “It is necessary for Israel to stop bombing Lebanon.”

Created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli forces after the 1978 invasion, UNIFIL saw its role expand after the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group and was the cause of conflict between the opposing sides.

However, the UNSC in harmony committed last year to begin withdrawing 10,800 UNIFIL security forces from around the world by December 2026.

According to Lebanese officials, Israel’s offensive in Lebanon since March 2 has killed 2,618 people and forced more than a million to flee their homes.

The UNIFIL operation has also faced a high number of casualties. According to UN officials, at least six peacekeepers have been killed and many others injured since Israel began its offensive on March 2.

These include soldiers from various donor countries, including Indonesia and France, who have been caught in shelling and street attacks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned this, saying that the UN’s “blue helmets” have caught fire while carrying out essential tasks, such as clearing explosive devices and escorting vehicles.