• EN - English
  • NL - Nederlands
Parliamentary question - P-004979/2013Parliamentary question
P-004979/2013

VP/HR — Fulfilling full Unifil mandate in Lebanon and EU assistance to Lebanese Armed Forces

Question for written answer P-004979-13
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 117
Marietje Schaake (ALDE)

The ongoing civil war in Syria is having an increasing effect on its neighbouring countries. The influx of Syrian citizens seeking refuge from the war and the violence is placing a particular strain on its neighbours’ resources. Currently, one in five people in Lebanon is Syrian. So far, the Lebanese population has showed resourcefulness in giving families somewhere to stay. However, this situation is unsustainable. Many colleagues and I wrote to you[1] calling for the EU to provide more assistance. The war in Syria is also having a political impact on Lebanon. Hezbollah has publicly acknowledged[2] that it is fighting alongside the Assad government against the opposition and Free Syrian Army. On Sunday, 5 May, Israel attacked weapons in Syria[3] that were allegedly provided by Iran and en route to Hezbollah in Lebanon. In the meantime, Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are being deployed[4] to the northern Lebanese-Syrian border to ensure security and stability in that part of the country. The relocation of LAF forces has led to increased tensions[5] between the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) and Hezbollah. The current Unifil mandate was authorised by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 of 11 August 2006[6], which stipulates that peacekeeping forces must cooperate with and work alongside the LAF. The deployment of the LAF to the north threatens to create a security vacuum in the south of Lebanon which could have serious consequences for both the domestic situation as well as Lebanon’s neighbours, despite UNIFL’s primary objective to ensure security.

With this in mind:

OJ C 80 E, 19/03/2014