President Joseph Aoun backed a parliamentary initiative and petition calling for an extension of the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, saying its continued presence was important for maintaining stability and helping residents remain in their communities.

Aoun said the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) served several purposes, including helping keep residents in their villages and towns and supporting stability through cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese army.

“Our first choice is to extend UNIFIL’s mandate,” Aoun said. “If that does not happen, our second option is to find a formula that guarantees the continued presence of international forces in the south within the appropriate legal framework.”

Under such an arrangement, he said, the international force would operate alongside the Lebanese army and in coordination with it, supporting stability and carrying out the tasks assigned to it.

Aoun said Lebanon was seeking to ensure that the end of UNIFIL’s mandate, if an extension could not be secured, would not result in the withdrawal of international forces from southern Lebanon.

“Israel has opposed UNIFIL’s presence and has been pressing for its departure for nearly a year, while we are calling for it to remain,” Aoun said.

“The key objective is to find a way to maintain an international presence in the south, whether by extending UNIFIL’s mandate or through a complementary international force,” he added.

Aoun said such a presence would help preserve stability while reinforcing the authority of the Lebanese state and the role of its army.

The president stressed that any alternative arrangement would have to operate within the appropriate legal framework and alongside the Lebanese military, rather than replacing the state’s security institutions.

“Whatever formula is adopted, these forces must work alongside the Lebanese army and in coordination with it,” Aoun said, stressing that their role should be to support stability and carry out their mandated responsibilities.

Aoun also highlighted UNIFIL’s role in helping stabilize communities in southern Lebanon, where years of conflict and repeated military confrontations have displaced residents and disrupted daily life.

“The presence of UNIFIL in the south is important in several respects,” he said. “It helps people remain in their villages and towns and strengthens stability in cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese army.”