German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul proposed mandating a European Union force in Lebanon to replace the United Nations peacekeeping mission UNIFIL, whose mandate is expected to expire soon, to prevent any security vacuum.

He said in an interview published by the network "Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland" on Friday: "We should study in the European Union whether we can ensure that no security vacuum occurs with a European mandate following the UNIFIL mission," referring to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

The UNIFIL mission ends on December 31, 2026, and the German parliament extended the country's participation in the mission for the last time a few weeks ago.

Wadephul said that Lebanon, with a stable government, represents "one of the most promising developments in the region at present."

Lebanon and Israel held talks at the ambassador level at the US Embassy in Rome on Tuesday and Wednesday, the sixth round of direct negotiations since a new war broke out on March 2 between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah because of Iran's war.

The German minister said that a force with a European Union mandate could "create the conditions for the withdrawal of the Israeli army without the return of Hezbollah with its terrorism."

European proposal

This proposal comes at a time when European countries are seeking to maintain stability in the region while balancing relations with Israel and Lebanon.

The bloc had previously proposed the possibility of forming a military and civilian mission for a period of 3 years to provide advice and training to Lebanese forces, including in the field of border security and maritime security.

In a document dated June 17 and circulated to EU member states, the European External Action Service said a potential mission would have an "initial mandate of 3 years" and "would support Lebanese authorities in enhancing territorial control and border security by strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese army and security forces."

The proposal also stated: "To this end, the mission will focus on strengthening land border regiments, mobile force units and regional gendarmerie units, enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and strengthening maritime security capabilities, including border and port security management."

These efforts face obstacles due to the presence of Israeli forces, which have taken control of a large area of southern Lebanon during a war that erupted when Hezbollah confronted Israel in a show of support for Tehran, days after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

"Framework agreement"

Meanwhile, the sixth round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations concluded in Rome on Wednesday, focusing on the item related to beginning implementation of the first phase, the Israeli withdrawal from two model areas, and the timetable for this withdrawal.

Sources in the Lebanese presidency told Al-Sharq that the only positive outcome of the meeting was the determination of the withdrawal from the "two model areas" (experimental), confirming that the military meeting, to be held Friday between the Lebanese and Israeli military delegations with the participation of the US delegation via video technology, will finally determine the names of these two areas and the mechanism to be adopted.

The model towns that negotiators discussed the Israeli withdrawal from and the deployment of the Lebanese army in remain towns that are occupied and others under Israeli fire.

These areas include "Zoutar al-Sharqiya" occupied by the Israeli army, and "Zoutar al-Gharbiya" where the Israeli army is deployed on its outskirts, along with "Burj Qalawiya", "Sarifa", and "Froun", villages that are subjected to continuous Israeli shelling.

The sources confirmed that the Lebanese army is already present in these non-occupied southern areas and will strengthen its presence there.

The sources explained, in their remarks to Al-Sharq, that these areas "are still under discussion," pending the results of Friday's meeting, and their scope may gradually expand according to the timetable that the negotiations will lead to.