By Yara Bayoumy

TAIBEH, Lebanon, Nov 8 (Reuters) - When Spanish peacekeepers in bullet-proof vests rode in an armoured personnel carrier through the southern Lebanese village of Taibeh, the villagers had two instant reactions: suspicion and scepticism.

Suspicion because the international peacekeepers now have a mandate to intercept the movement of unauthorised weapons, which in this Hezbollah stronghold translates as an intrusion on domestic affairs.

And scepticism because villagers doubt the peacekeepers can succeed in stopping Israeli incursions in the wake of the summer war between the Jewish state and Hezbollah guerrillas.

"Whether they are here or not makes no difference to us. They just go on lots of patrols, make lots of noise and disturb us," said Mohamed Souly, 19, an olive farmer in Taibeh.

Since a U.N.-brokered truce ended the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah on Aug. 14, international peacekeepers have been arriving gradually to patrol the 79-km (49-mile) Lebanese-Israeli border and maintain the ceasefire.

The U.N. force, or UNIFIL, in place since 1978, has boosted its numbers from about 2,000 before the war to about 9,500 now -- including a German naval force patrolling Lebanon's waters.

But the expanded force, dubbed UNIFIL II, has caused new uneasiness among villagers, despite the presence of blue helmets in their midst for more than two decades.

The new contingents have yet to win the southerners' trust, a task accomplished over years by the established force.

More importantly, the older UNIFIL, even in its heyday, was much smaller than the 15,000-strong force that is now planned and did not have such a daunting array of weapons, including navy boats, planes and tanks that should, in theory, retaliate if Israel opens fire on Lebanon.

BIGGEST WEAPON

The new UNIFIL's biggest weapon, however, is a more robust mandate under Security Council resolution 1701, and that has worried locals who wonder if this will deliver more stability or lead to increased confrontations.

The older UNIFIL was as helpless to prevent Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon as it was to stop weapons from reaching Hezbollah or other fighters in the south.

It effectively took on a more humanitarian-focused role, supplying villagers with medical supplies and fuel.

"The first UNIFIL force took care of our needs. This force is not voicing what its intentions are for being here," said Shirbeh, 40, a Taibeh farmer, as a Spanish vehicle rolled along.

"They're here to stop the incursions. But until today the (Israeli) planes are still here."

Israeli jets have routinely flown over Lebanon since the war ended, even though the Lebanese government and the United Nations say the overflights violate the latest truce, and the terms of Israel's 2000 pullout from the south.

Israel says the missions are necessary to help ensure that arms are not smuggled from Syria to resupply Hezbollah.

Former UNIFIL spokesman Timur Goksel said the new force's "aggressive" look and the fact that it had not explained to villagers what its troops were doing was fuelling anxiety.

"Now there's another look of UNIFIL, much more militarily impressive, much more aggressive-looking, and much more mechanised," said Goksel, who retired from his post in 2003.

"I think they're still a bit tense and not very well informed and they're still driving around in armoured cars and not in much contact with people."

Milos Strugar, UNIFIL's current spokesman, said the troops were still in the process of settling in.

"Definitely, part of our mission is to explain what our mission is and our task and what we are there to do," he said.

"This is still the initial stage of deployment of troops, and we are still in the process of beefing up the force...so obviously the information is not reaching everyone."

ECONOMIC REVIVAL

Despite the suspicion, villagers say UNIFIL's presence has at least helped revive the southern economy after the destruction caused by the war.

"Security-wise they haven't benefited us, but with the economic situation they are helping a bit," said Emile Adeemy, 39, who works in a restaurant in Marjayoun, another border village.

"Our sales have increased by 50 percent," said Osama Rashed, as Spanish peacekeepers lunched on Lebanese grills and salads at his restaurant.

Such benefits are not enough to soothe those who want more certainty about UNIFIL's new mission.

"The troops have to be here for a specified time only, it's not necessary for all the countries in the world to protect us. It would be a second occupation for the south," said Hamza Maatouk, 23, whose family owns a chain of stores selling military uniforms and gadgets.

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