Lebanese in Israeli-Occupied South Fear Uncertain Future as UN Peacekeepers Withdraw
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UN vehicles parked on a debris-covered road amid humanitarian efforts. File photo. |
RMEICH, Lebanon — September 16, 2026
Residents of southern Lebanon's Israeli-occupied zone are facing growing uncertainty as the United Nations prepares to end the operational mandate of its peacekeeping force at the end of 2026. In the Christian town of Rmeich, residents fear losing an important link to the rest of Lebanon once UNIFIL begins its withdrawal.
More than six months of Israeli military operations have devastated parts of southern Lebanon and displaced residents from numerous villages. Roads into the occupied area are controlled through Israeli checkpoints, while many buildings and homes have been damaged or destroyed.
Rmeich, one of three predominantly Christian towns in the area, has remained populated while surrounding communities have largely emptied. About 6,000 people still live there, according to residents, and UNIFIL has helped escort convoys carrying food and other supplies through Israeli-controlled areas.
"What's going to happen to us?" asked George Ibrahim, a 45-year-old teacher from Rmeich. He said residents were concerned about how shops would receive goods from Beirut if UN peacekeepers were no longer available to escort convoys.
Ibrahim described the town as isolated from the rest of Lebanon and said residents were uncertain about what would happen after UNIFIL's departure.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978. Its mandate was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah to include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the Lebanese armed forces and helping facilitate humanitarian access.
The Security Council decided in August 2025 to extend UNIFIL's mandate for a final time through Dec. 31, 2026. Under the resolution, the force will then carry out an orderly drawdown and withdrawal over the following year, with the goal of transferring security responsibilities to the Lebanese government.
The approaching withdrawal is already affecting daily life in Rmeich. Residents said fresh food and fuel supplies were beginning to decline after several aid and commercial convoys were canceled without a clear explanation.
Fruit and vegetable shops in the town were closed or had limited supplies, while some stores were left with mostly non-perishable products. A local falafel seller said he had used the last of his tomatoes as Israeli military activity could still be heard elsewhere in southern Lebanon.
An Israeli military official said Israel did not consider UNIFIL essential to humanitarian work and that its forces were working to make conditions easier for residents. The official said Israel's presence in what it calls a security zone was aimed at removing Hezbollah infrastructure and that it did not intend to maintain permanent bases there.
UNIFIL also plays a broader monitoring role along the Blue Line, the line established by the United Nations after Israel's 2000 withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The force has monitored exchanges of fire and reported violations while maintaining records, maps and other information relating to the line.
More than half of UNIFIL's nearly 50 bases are now located inside areas under Israeli control, according to the report. Its headquarters at Naqoura can also be reached only through Israeli military checkpoints.
The mission currently has more than 7,500 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries. During the withdrawal period, UNIFIL will retain limited responsibilities, including protecting its personnel and facilities, supporting humanitarian assistance and helping ensure the safety of United Nations operations.
The mission's departure could also affect people employed by UNIFIL. Several Lebanese contractors working around its bases told reporters that the withdrawal could cost them their jobs and homes.
United Nations officials and people familiar with the mission have also raised concerns about access to parts of southern Lebanon after the withdrawal. UNIFIL has facilitated access for U.N. personnel investigating possible violations during the conflict, and such access could become more difficult without the mission's presence.
The future of the mission has become a subject of political debate in Lebanon. Two-thirds of the Lebanese parliament signed a petition last month calling for an extension, while President Joseph Aoun has described keeping the mission in place as Lebanon's preferred option.
Diplomatic efforts to extend UNIFIL are continuing, but diplomats cited in the report said an extension appeared unlikely. The United Nations has already been examining possible arrangements for implementing Security Council Resolution 1701 after UNIFIL's withdrawal.
The debate is linked to a broader U.S.-brokered plan under which Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon while Lebanese forces take greater control of the area and Hezbollah disarms. The process has stalled over disagreements about the presence of Israeli forces and Hezbollah's weapons.
For people in Rmeich, the uncertainty is more immediate. Najib Amil, a Catholic priest who remembers UNIFIL's arrival nearly five decades ago, said residents were worried about their future relationship with both Israel and Lebanon.
"Will Israel leave us here or kick us out?" he asked, reflecting concerns over whether residents would be able to remain in their homes and maintain administrative and economic ties with Lebanon.
With UNIFIL's operational mandate due to end on Dec. 31 and its withdrawal continuing through 2027, residents of Rmeich and surrounding areas are facing a period of uncertainty over security, access to essential goods and their connection with the rest of Lebanon.
