An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 21 Maj Gen Michael Beary, UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander. Photo: Gerry Mooney, Independent News and Media (IMN) Minister with Responsibility for Defence Paul Keogh TD takes the St. Patricks Day Parade in Lebanon alongside UNIFIL Force Commander Maj Gen Michael Beary. Photo UNIFIL Photographer The transfer of command of UNIFIL from Maj Gen Luciano Portolano (Italy) to Maj Gen Michael Beary in July 2016. Maj Gen Michael Beary escorts An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during a visit to Lebanon in December 2017. within its borders. But the cloud of another war still swirls over the skies of south Lebanon. After commanding UNIFIL's 11,000-plus, mil- itary and civilian peacekeepers for nearly two years I can say with full confidence that there is no appetite for renewed hostilities on either side of the UN-monitored 120-kilometre line of withdrawal (the Blue Line) that separates the two sovereign countries of Lebanon and Israel. The fear of war is in part propelled by the frequent rhetoric originating from various quarters. Notwithstand- ing the recent heightened rhetoric, the situation on the ground remains stable and, despite some recent incidents, we have been able to prevent any escalation along the Blue Line through intense liaison with the parties. Such fears are the natural manifestation of the parties not reaching a final settlement – a permanent ceasefire – the ultimate aim envisaged in UNSCR 1701. The term 'permanent ceasefire' needs to enter the lexicon of the stakeholders on both sides of the Blue Line. UNIFIL's continued presence and engagement on the ground has provided a strong deterrent to the resumption of hostilities. It is important for the leaders on both sides to take advantage of the window of opportunity provided by UNIFIL to work towards a permanent ceasefire and long- term solution to the conflict. A peacekeeping operation is a measure that can allow diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution; it cannot be the substitute for a political solution. In an increasingly complex security environment like the one we are facing today in the wider Middle and Near East, Lebanon, once the source of instability in the region, now finds itself being impacted by events beyond its borders. While the UNIFIL area of responsibility is small, its area of interest is very large, and includes territories and issues that are outside the scope of UNSCR 1701. In this context I con- sider the stabilising presence of UNIFIL to be of the utmost importance in assisting the international community's ef- forts, along with other governmental actors, to improve the stability of the whole region.

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