The Wire

A UN peacekeeping force planned for Southern Lebanon is still struggling to find enough recruits. The force would aim to maintain the fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah. But The UN is now waiting for Europe to decide who will lead the force, which country will send troops, and how the force will be able to achieve neutrality. While Italy and France are expected to play a significant role in the force, Israel has already rejected an offer by Indonesia and Malaysia to send their troops. The Jewish country remains concerned that these countries don’t recognize the state of Israel and are therefore unable to take up a neutral position as a part of a UN peacekeeping mission.