Why do some European countries participate in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon?

Abstract

Over the last decades, some European members of the EEC/EU have participated in several peace operations in Lebanon, mainly under UN command, contradicting their usual reluctance towards these kind of interventions. As a result, it is important to understand the reasons for the specificity of the Lebanese case and the long-lasting European commitment towards this country. The main factors that justify these interventions are the interests of some Mediterranean countries (France, Italy, Spain), which have considered them as a means to spread their influence in the region and guarantee their own security, avoiding any escalation of violence that could spill over into Southern Europe. But there is also a link with the European normative approach, that tries to turn the Mediterranean into an area of cooperation, prosperity and security, given the fact that the resolution of the Middle East conflicts would be a prerequisite for the success of the Euro-Mediterranean policy. However, these objectives are not easy to conciliate, leading to a lack of coherence in the EU policy towards Lebanon.