Security council renews UN force for Lebanon

The UN Security Council has unanimously extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) by another year. In an adopted resolution, the 15-nation Council decided to extend the present mandate of UNIFIL until Aug. 31, 2012." The resolution also requested UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to conduct before the end of the year, a strategic review of UNIFIL to ensure that the mission is "configured most appropriately to fulfill its mandated tasks." It also strongly "called upon all parties concerned to respect the cessation of hostilities, to prevent any violation of the Blue line." The resolution urged all parties to make "tangible progress towards a permanent cease-fire," calling on the government of Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar without further delay in coordination with UNIFIL. Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on July, 22 sent a letter to the UN requesting the extension of the UNIFIL mandate in the south