The United Nations Security Council today unanimously voted in favor of extending the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for one month in light of the current fighting in Lebanon. Although typically the mandate would be extended six months, and this was requested by the Lebanese charge' d'affaires, the Council said it had shortened the extension because “UNIFIL has been impeded to carry out its activities effectively.” The resolution urged all parties to respect the safety of UNIFIL and other U.N. personnel. Last week Israeli forces bombed unarmed observers in a well-marked UNIFIL position in southern Lebanon last week, which resulted in the deaths of four soldiers. In related news, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan delayed a meeting that was to determine which nations would contribute troops to a possible multi-national force to secure southern Lebanon.
