Germany Calls for EU-Led Force in Lebanon After UNIFIL

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has proposed replacing the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with a European Union-led military force once the mission's mandate expires on 31 December 2026. He said the goal is to prevent a security vacuum after UNIFIL's withdrawal.

Wadephul made the proposal in an interview with the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland media group.

He described Lebanon, under its new government, as one of the region's most promising political developments. According to Wadephul, an EU-led force could create the conditions for the Israeli military to withdraw while helping prevent a resurgence of Hezbollah's militant activities. Just weeks ago, Germany's parliament extended the deployment of German troops to the UN mission until its mandate expires.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Lebanese and Israeli representatives held a sixth round of ambassador-level talks at the US Embassy in Rome. European countries are seeking to preserve the fragile stability in the region while balancing their relations with both sides.

(Reuters, Max)