Who are THE UN peacekeepers at Lebanon’s border with Israel?

Sub: IR

Sec: Int Org

Context:

India expressed its concern regarding the deteriorating security situation in parts of West Asia, particularly following an incident in which two members of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, were injured.
An Israeli tank fire hit an observation tower at the force’s headquarters in Naqoura, Lebanon.
Earlier, Israel had warned UNIFIL to relocate from Lebanese positions near where it said Hezbollah fighters had launched rockets into northern Israel. UN forces rejected the request.

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL):

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was established in 1978 and is currently composed of over 10,000 civilian and military personnel from 50 countries.
Its primary purpose is to prevent violations along the 121-km border between Lebanon and Israel, known as the Blue Line.
The mission is largely observational, though its mandate was expanded in 2006 to include reporting of any violations to the UN Security Council.
A UN resolution passed in 2006 expanded UNIFIL’s mandate to include ensuring that its area of operations is not used for any hostile activities.
The group is charged by the UN with keeping out of the area any weapons or fighters.
United States and Israel have argued that the peacekeepers have been largely ineffective at preventing Hezbollah from stockpiling and firing rockets from the territory they patrol.

UN Peacekeeping Mission:

UN peacekeeping refers to the deployment of international personnel by the United Nations to help maintain or restore peace in conflict areas.
It is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support. Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
The financial resources of UN Peacekeeping operations are the collective responsibility of UN Member States. According to UN Charter every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share for peacekeeping.

Composition:

UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets)can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.

Features:

United Nations Peacekeeping helps countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace.
UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles:
- Consent of the parties.
- Impartiality
- Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.
UN peacekeeping is a unique global partnership. It brings together the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police contributors and the host governments in a combined effort to maintain international peace and security.

India and UN Peacekeeping:

India is among the highest contributors of troops to the UNPKF, and has lost 179 soldiers in the past six decades, the highest fatality suffered by any country among “blue helmets”, and has been demanding a greater say in the decision making on U.N. peacekeeping missions.