Israel says Lebanon pullout will be phased and according to 'security needs'
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday told visiting U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert that Israel is “committed” to the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.
"We are committed to moving forward with the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. We will do so in a phased manner and in accordance with security needs," Saar added.
Hennis-Plasschaert began Monday a visit to Israel, where she is set to meet with senior Israeli officials, her office said.
“Her discussions will focus on steps being taken towards the implementation of the cessation of hostilities understanding, which came into force on 27 November 2024, as well as on remaining challenges. The need to catalyze the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) will also be a central theme of her engagement,” the office added.
“The Special Coordinator, in advance of her trip, welcomed progress seen through the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces (Israeli army) from and the redeployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces to positions in southern Lebanon, while calling for continued commitment from all parties,” the office said.
Hezbollah has warned Israel against staying in Lebanon past the January 27 deadline.
A meeting Monday of the ceasefire monitoring committee witnessed a negative atmosphere that does not indicate that Israel intends to withdraw from south Lebanon by the weekend, when the 60-day timeframe expires, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.
An informed source meanwhile told al-Akhbar that the Israeli army “has complained that the Lebanese Army has refused to seize resistance assets from depots and homes, or to confiscate arms at a time Lebanese authorities are in a transitional phase, which prompted it to act on the ground by itself, as it did in al-Salhani, Wadi al-Slouki, Tallousa and Bani Hayyan.”
“The Israeli enemy has threatened through UNIFIL to bomb new sites suspected of containing resistance weapons should the (Lebanese) Army fail to raid them, while (Lebanese) military officials have refused to turn into a security force that works at the enemy’s instructions and clashes with residents,” the source said.
The source also revealed that “a force from the army and the monitoring committee raided suspect sites in the southern town of Houmine and the Beirut southern suburb of al-Amrousiyeh without finding anything there.”
As for the Lebanese Army’s request that a specific timeframe be announced for the Israeli withdrawal, the Israeli army has refused to give a specific date, promising to “study the situation on the ground.”
Source: Naharnet
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