British troops could train and support the Lebanese armed forces to secure the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hezbollah, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has indicated.
The truce, announced on Tuesday night, will see hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed militants Hezbollah suspended for 60 days, with both sides withdrawing from southern Lebanon.
Mr Lammy told MPs the UK would “stand by Lebanon” with “increased support going forward”.
The cross-border fighting has displaced citizens from southern Lebanon and northern Israel, but peace may allow them to return home.
The deal will see Hezbollah withdraw from the area between the Blue Line – the border with Israel – and the Litani river, about 30km (20 miles) to the north.
The Lebanese army forces will move into the south of the country, with Israeli troops returning across the border.
At a meeting of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, chairwoman Emily Thornberry said the UK had previously given “training and support” to the Lebanese army and asked if that would be renewed as part of the peace deal.
Mr Lammy told her: “Yes, and I would hope to increase that support over this coming period.”
He added: “You would expect us to be supporting the LAF (Lebanese armed forces) as they try and secure the south, particularly.
“And we want to be in a situation where Lebanese can move back south and Israelis can move back north and we see the end to fighting and gunshots and the death toll that we’ve seen, particularly of civilians.”
Asked whether the UK’s contribution to the UN peacekeeping force would increase, he said: “My commitment is for us to stand by Lebanon and that means increased support going forward and we play an important role – that has been primarily in support of the armed forces.
“I’m happy to look again at our Unifil (UN interim force in Lebanon) contribution, but I’d want to do that in discussion with G7 partners like Italy that play a big role and of course, with the Defence Secretary (John Healey).”
The deal, brokered by the US and France, is aimed at ultimately delivering a lasting peace.
But Israeli ministers insisted it would resume strikes on Lebanon if Hezbollah breached the terms of the ceasefire, while the deal does not affect Israel’s continuing war with Hamas in Gaza.
In a statement, Sir Keir Starmer described the deal as “long overdue”, saying it would “provide some measure of relief to the civilian populations of Lebanon and northern Israel, who have suffered unimaginable consequences during the last few months of devastating conflict and bloodshed”.
He said: “Now, this deal must be turned into a lasting political solution in Lebanon, based on Security Council Resolution 1701, that will allow civilians to return permanently to their homes and for communities on both sides of the border to rebuild.
“The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of efforts to break the ongoing cycle of violence in pursuit of a long-term, sustainable peace in the Middle East.
My statement on the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah. pic.twitter.com/ZAxApKpJIT
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 26, 2024
“We must see immediate progress towards a ceasefire deal in Gaza, the release of all hostages and the removal of restrictions on desperately needed humanitarian aid.”
According to the UN, more than 3,700 people, including 240 children, have been killed in Lebanon since the latest round of fighting began in October 2023, while around 900,000 have been displaced.
