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Short answer
UNIFIL has become the textbook example of UN failure. Created to disarm Hezbollah and keep southern Lebanon free of militias under UN Resolution 1701, it instead stood idle as Hezbollah turned the area into a fortified terrorist stronghold, right under its nose.
UNIFIL posts sat just meters away from Hezbollah tunnels, bunkers, and weapons caches. Officials even admitted knowing about a tunnel beside one of their positions but refused to act because it was on “private property.” Their watchtowers literally overlooked Hezbollah’s buildup for years, and when Hezbollah fired at their outpost, UN reports carefully avoided naming the group, referring only to “non-state actors.” The result is a border crawling with terror tunnels, rocket launchers, and bunkers — a direct violation of the very mandate UNIFIL was sent to uphold.
After nearly half a century of failure and complicity, it’s no surprise UNIFIL is finally being disbanded. In the end, Israel did what UNIFIL never could, dismantling Hezbollah’s southern strongholds and eliminating its tunnels. After nearly a year of relentless rocket fire on Israeli civilians, Israel was forced to act, neutralizing Hezbollah’s capabilities and doing what UNIFIL failed to do.
Long answer
UNIFIL has become the textbook example of UN failure. Established under UN Resolution 1701 after the 2006 war, it was tasked with keeping southern Lebanon free of armed militias by assisting the Lebanese Army and supporting efforts to disarm groups such as Hezbollah. Instead, Hezbollah used the years of UN presence to rebuild a vast military network south of the Litani River, right under UNIFIL’s watch. The result was southern Lebanon packed with tunnels, rockets, and fortified bunkers, all in blatant violation of the UN mandate.
UNIFIL troops were stationed just meters from Hezbollah tunnels and weapons caches, yet claimed they could not act because they were on “private property.” Their watchtowers literally overlooked Hezbollah’s buildup for years, while reports avoided naming Hezbollah, referring only to “non-state actors.” When Hezbollah rockets struck a UN base and wounded peacekeepers, the official report still refused to identify the attackers.
A former Danish UN soldier admitted that peacekeepers were “totally subject to Hezbollah,” unable to patrol freely or enter restricted zones. The result was a UN mission paralyzed by fear and politics, providing Hezbollah with cover to fortify the border. The Wall Street Journal called UNIFIL “Hezbollah’s best friend,” noting how it legitimized the group’s rule in southern Lebanon.Meanwhile, Hezbollah turned civilian homes into launch sites and schools into command posts. Israel repeatedly warned the UN that Hezbollah was preparing for war, yet UNIFIL ignored the evidence. Even as tunnels were found just a few meters from UN positions, the UN force refused to investigate or act.
After nearly a year of relentless Hezbollah rocket fire targeting Israeli civilians in 2024, Israel was finally forced to act, dismantling the terror tunnels, striking Hezbollah positions, and doing the job UNIFIL failed to do. What was meant to be a peacekeeping mission became a shield for terrorists.
Now, after almost five decades of failure, the UN has decided to disband UNIFIL by 2027, admitting defeat in all but name. The withdrawal will leave behind not peace, but a Hezbollah army entrenched and armed to the teeth, right under the UN’s watch.
UNIFIL’s legacy is not stability or deterrence, but complicity and paralysis. It stood by as Hezbollah violated every clause of Resolution 1701. It failed to protect civilians, failed to enforce the mandate, and failed to confront terrorism. In the end, Israel defended itself while UNIFIL looked away. A perfect snapshot of how international diplomacy collapses when appeasement replaces accountability.
