UNIFIL and the ‘Security Zone’ in South Lebanon, 1985–2000: traditional operations in the Post-Cold War Era

Studies of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) generally focus on its early stages from 1978 to 1985 or the Second Lebanese War of 2006. This study illuminates the lacuna in our knowledge by examining the unique role of the UN and its peacekeeping operation in Lebanon from 1985 to 2000, when Israel withdrew its forces from Lebanon. The study is mainly based on UN sources, contemporary sources, and autobiographies of UN personnel. The paper contributes to our knowledge in several ways. First, it illustrates how the UN viewed this period as divided into two: from 1985 to 1990 and from 1990 to 2000. Second, it explains why, despite major changes to the UN peacekeeping doctrine, the UN Secretariat avoided any recommendations to adopt this new doctrine in Lebanon. Third, it shows that the UN focused only on the strategic goal of Israel’s withdrawal while ignoring other detrimental factors to Lebanon’s sovereignty, such as Syrian military dominance and the increase in Hezbollah activity. The research findings contribute to our understanding of how the UN influenced the conflict dynamic in southern Lebanon and how transformations of global norms are used selectively.