Staff Reporter:
Israel announced on Friday that its forces would maintain their presence in southern Lebanon beyond the 60-day period stipulated in a November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, alleging the agreement has not been fully implemented by Lebanese government.
Even though the Israeli side laid the blame on Lebanon, the area’s UN peacekeeping force has been reporting repeated Israeli violations of the terms of the ceasefire.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Friday said that the ceasefire agreement had been drafted “with the understanding that the withdrawal process might extend beyond the 60-day period”.
“The withdrawal process is conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, with Hezbollah withdrawing beyond the Litani River,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said, ahead of the Sunday deadline.
“Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States.”
The fragile truce, which took effect on 27 November after two months of full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, has been marked by accusations of violations from both sides.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period.
Hezbollah is to pull back its forces north of the Litani River – some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border – and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and US delegates and a representative of UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL is tasked with ensuring any ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with.
