China wants the United Nations Security Council to rethink a major plan. The council previously decided to withdraw all peacekeeping troops from Lebanon by the end of 2026. Now, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations says those troops need to stay. Ongoing violence between Israel and Hezbollah makes a complete withdrawal far too dangerous for the region.
The United Nations created this specific peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, back in 1978. For decades, these international soldiers have patrolled the tense southern border that separates Lebanon and Israel. Last year, all 15 members of the Security Council voted together. They agreed to start pulling the mission out and end it completely by December 2026. However, the situation on the ground changed dramatically just a few months later.
China officially assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council for May. Envoy Fu Cong used this leadership position to speak out about the crisis on Friday. He told reporters that his country is deeply concerned about the current state of Lebanon. He pointed out that the region lacks a genuine ceasefire. Instead, he described the current situation as merely a lesser fire.
Fu directed strong words toward the Israeli government. He demanded that Israel stop dropping bombs on Lebanese territory right away. The violence skyrocketed earlier this year on March 2. On that day, the armed militant group Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel. Hezbollah leaders claimed they fired the weapons to show support for their political ally, Iran.
That single rocket attack triggered a massive military response from Israel. The Israeli military launched a heavy campaign using both ground troops and fighter jets. These intense battles have left large sections of southern Lebanon destroyed. Since the fighting started in March, Israeli military strikes have killed more than 2,500 people across the country.
The Israeli mission to the United Nations did not answer reporters’ immediate questions about the Chinese ambassador’s comments. However, Israeli leaders constantly state that their soldiers only conduct military operations in Lebanon to protect their own citizens. They argue the military campaign remains necessary to stop Hezbollah militants from launching more deadly rocket attacks across the border.
Reporters asked Fu directly if the United Nations should cancel the planned withdrawal of the peacekeeping troops. The ambassador gave a clear answer. He firmly stated that the council must revisit its decision to withdraw UNIFIL from the area. He believes removing the international troops now would create a massive security hole and lead to even more violence.
To advance this goal, Fu recently held talks with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. During their meeting, they discussed the urgent need to review the entire peacekeeping plan. Fu confirmed that the United Nations secretariat staff is currently looking at the data. They plan to present several new operational options to the council sometime in June.
These upcoming options will focus heavily on enforcing United Nations Resolution 1701. The council originally passed this specific resolution to end a brutal war between Hezbollah and Israel back in 2006. The agreement requires the border area to remain free of unauthorized weapons. Reinstating and enforcing these rules remains a top priority for international diplomats today.
Fu feels confident that other countries share his concerns. He told the press that an overwhelming majority of the Security Council members agree with China on this issue. He said most members believe right now is the wrong time to redraw the UNIFIL mission or bring the soldiers home.
Other top officials within the organization share this exact sentiment. Last month, United Nations peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix spoke about the region’s future. He suggested that some type of international presence will likely need to stay in Lebanon even after the official UNIFIL mandate expires at the end of 2026. He knows the international community cannot simply abandon the border while rockets continue to fly.
