In South Lebanon, what purpose do UN 'peacekeepers' serve?

On August 22, 2024, Dimitri Lascaris visited the site of a destroyed residential building in the southern Lebanese village of Safad El Battikh. An Israeli airstrike had demolished the building about two weeks earlier.

While standing on the remains of the building, Lascaris discussed the role of the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Ostensibly, UNIFIL is a UN peacekeeping mission. It was established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426.

During the forty-six years that UNIFIL has been present in south Lebanon, Israeli forces have repeatedly invaded and occupied the territory, destroyed Lebanese civilian infrastructure and killed large numbers of Lebanese civilians.

Lascaris argues that, by any rational measure, UNIFIL has failed to keep the peace. In light of that reality, what purpose does UNIFIL serve?