U.N. Security Council Resolution 425 was issued five days after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon on March 14, 1978, in what was referred to as Operation Litani. The stated objective of the operation was to clear out the PLO bases located inside Lebanon south of the Litani River, in order to better secure northern Israel and to support the Christian Lebanese militias in the course of the civil war - most notably the Free Lebanon Army. Following Lebanese government claims, the United Nations, driven by the United States, began seeking a peacekeeping force for the area that Israel had occupied in order to bring about a withdrawal of the Israeli forces, and to reintroduce the authority of the Lebanese government in southern Lebanon. These efforts culminated in Resolution 425, during the 2074th meeting of the United Nations Security Council on March 19, 1978. That led to the formation of UNIFIL, the objective of which was to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area.
The resolution text
Implementation
The first UNIFIL troops arrived in Lebanon on March 23, 1978, just four days after the resolution was passed. Israel withdrew its forces by June 1978.
Aftermath
After continued PLO attacks from south Lebanon, a larger-scale Israeli invasion commenced in June 1982, in which Israeli troops allied with the Lebanese Christian forces and occupied the capital city of Beirut in the 1982 Lebanon War. In May 2000, nearly a quarter century after resolution 425, Israel withdrew its troops from southern Lebanon. Prior to the withdrawal, opposition voices inside Israel pressured the government to withdraw, as they saw no valid reason to stay there and sustain Lebanese attacks. The UN Secretary-General concluded that, as of June 16, 2000, Israel had indeed withdrawn its forces from Lebanon, in accordance with resolution 425. The border recognized by the UN is known as the "Blue Line". Some Lebanese parties, however, claim that Israel is still keeping Lebanese land under its occupation, mainly in Shebaa Farms. Israel and the UN concur that Shebaa Farms is part of the Golan, and therefore it is not included under resolution 425. The Lebanese Republic has not extended effective control over south Lebanon, though it was called on to do so by UN Resolution 1391 in 2002, UN Resolution 1496 2003 and UN Resolution 1701 after the second Lebanese War In 2006. Hezbollah periodically attacks Israel through Lebanon. Israel has lodged multiple complaints regarding Lebanon's conduct.
