Argentina’s four-man military detachment will leave UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in South Lebanon, as part of a contentious move by President Javier Milei’s administration to confirm Argentina’s alliance with Israel.
The withdrawal was made public during the transition of leadership in the Foreign Ministry following Diana Mondino’s premature resignation on October 30, which followed Argentina’s vote in the UN General Assembly to denounce the US embargo against Cuba.
Mondino was replaced by the Ambassador to Washington Gerardo Werthein, who was sworn-in Monday.
The UN provisional force in Lebanon, or “blue helmets,” was created over four decades ago by the Security Council after the first Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in 1978.
In mid-October, the United Nations condemned Israel Defense Forces’ repeated attacks on peacekeeping troops in South Lebanon, in the context of their war against Hezbollah, the regional militia held responsible by Argentine courts for terrorist attacks in 1992 and 1994.
The Israeli intrusions have been described as “scandalous” by UNIFIL, and the international community has strongly denounced them.
Italy, France, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, and Spain have the largest international military presence. Until yet, four Argentine military personnel have represented their country in the troubled region.
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Argentina officially joined the force in mid-2022 following an agreement signed in Madrid during the Alberto Fernández Presidency.
The Milei administration will have to communicate its decision to the socialist government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with whom it has poor relations.
Late last month it emerged that Spain would be replacing its ambassador in Buenos Aires after withdrawing its envoy last May amid a war of words between the two governments.
Perfil obtained a note from Argentina’s outgoing UN representative, Ricardo Lagorio, to UN Undersecretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, in which the government announced the withdrawal of four Argentine servicemen, three in Naqoura and one in Marjayoum.
Argentina has so far participated in 17 peacekeeping missions around the world, paying the price with 16 deaths. Today, the country’s troops are deployed in seven missions: Cyprus, West Sahara, the Central African Republic, India, Pakistan, Colombia, and Lebanon.
The most recent group went for Cyprus in January, with Defence Minister Luis Petri leading the ceremony.
