Report: US, EU mulling having troops in Lebanon, US ambassador to play key role

Washington has started thinking of the “day after” in south Lebanon, as has happened in the Gaza Strip, and there are scenarios that are being milled, including the handover of the South to an international force, especially after UNIFIL’s departure, informed sources quoted U.S. officials as saying.

“These forces could be American until solutions are reached for the pending files, especially the issue of the land border demarcation,” the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Tuesday.

Influential European figures meanwhile said, according to al-Akhbar, that “there are ongoing contacts among the EU countries about the best format to guarantee keeping their UNIFIL forces in Lebanon after the end of the force’s mission at the end of next year.”

The daily added that “all of this remains pending until the arrival of the new U.S. ambassador, Michel Issa,” quoting informed sources as saying that “the new ambassador will have a major role, contrary to his predecessors, who were marginalized due to the visits of international envoys.”

“Issa will have an extraordinary activity in the coming period regarding the situation between Lebanon and Israel,” al-Akhbar said.