The UN Security Council has delayed a vote on the future of its peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, as diplomats continue to negotiate over the future of the decades-old operation that has drawn opposition from the US and Israel.
The council is considering a French-drafted proposal that would extend the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, for another year while laying the groundwork for its eventual withdrawal.
The mission, established in 1978 to patrol the buffer zone between Israel and Lebanon, has become a flashpoint during the Gaza war.
UN diplomats had anticipated a vote as early as Monday, but sources said discussions over the text were continuing and that the vote is now expected on Friday.
US officials indicated that the French draft did not meet their red lines, preventing the text from progressing to a formal vote.
Washington, backed by Israel, has pushed for an immediate withdrawal of the force, saying Unifil’s presence no longer reflects realities in Lebanon.
After its initial proposal was rejected, France on Monday put forward an alternative resolution to extend Unifil mandate by 18 months, until December 31, 2026, aligning with Lebanon’s needs and initiating the mission’s withdrawal in the autumn of that year.
US envoy Tom Barrack told reporters in Beirut on Tuesday that his country would approve the extension of United Nations peacekeepers' mandate in Lebanon for one more year.
He noted disapprovingly that the force cost "a billion dollars a year".
The latest French draft, seen by The National, requests Unifil to "cease its operations on 31 December 2026 and to start from this date and within one year its orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal of its personnel, in close consultation with the Government of Lebanon."
The text underscores that the Lebanese government must assume full responsibility for security in the country’s south, with the Lebanese Armed Forces taking the lead in controlling all territory and ensuring stability.
Lebanon’s Cabinet this month charged the army with developing a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, a move the powerful Iran-backed group has resisted. The issue of Hezbollah’s weapons has long divided Lebanese politics and created tension with Israel.
Under the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel was meant to fully withdraw from Lebanon but has kept troops in several areas it considers strategic. It has also continued air strikes across Lebanon, including one on Monday, claiming ceasefire breaches.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Monday that Israel was “ready to support” Lebanon’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah and will implement a phased reduction of its military presence in Lebanon as a “reciprocal measure”.
The latest proposal requests that the Secretary General, by June 1, 2026, explore “options for the future implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006) following Unifil's withdrawal, including ways to enhance support for the LAF’s redeployment south of the Litani River through United Nations mechanisms.”
The multinational force's mandate ends on Sunday.
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Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
