US envoy Amos Hochstein (Photo by Anadolu)
PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY | Published January 7, 2025
BEIRUT – US envoy Amos Hochstein said Monday the Israeli army will continue withdrawing from all Lebanese territories, avoiding direct comment on Israel’s possible extended presence in south Lebanon beyond the 60-day ceasefire period.
Hochstein’s remarks came after he met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut during a two-day visit to discuss Israel’s cease-fire agreement with Lebanon.
Speaking to reporters, Hochstein said he attended the third monitoring mechanism session for the cessation of hostilities in Naqoura in southern Lebanon before meeting Berri.
His statements follow a warning by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who threatened to revoke the cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah unless the group withdraws beyond the Litani River.
On Sunday, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported, citing unnamed sources, that Israel is preparing to extend its stay in Lebanon well beyond the agreed 60 days.
According to the sources, the Israeli military deems it necessary to remain in certain military positions for at least 90 days.
The broadcaster also noted that Israel is expected to inform the US that it will not withdraw from south Lebanon at the end of the cease-fire period, claiming that “the Lebanese army is not meeting the agreement’s conditions and Hezbollah is regrouping in the area.”
Since Nov. 27, 2024, a fragile cease-fire has been in place, ending a series of mutual attacks between Israel and Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023 and escalated into a full-scale war on Sept. 23, 2024.
The agreement’s key provisions include Israel’s gradual withdrawal south of the Blue Line over 60 days and the deployment of the Lebanese army and security forces along the border, crossings and southern regions.
Hochstein said “the Israeli military started its withdrawal from Naqoura…and back into Israel proper today, south of the Blue Line.”
“These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely, and as the Lebanese army continues to deploy into the south and all the way to the Blue Line,” he added.
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SOURCE: www.pna.gov.ph
RELATED: Israel’s ceasefire with Lebanon is nearing a crucial deadline — will it collapse?
The commander of the Lebanese Army, Joseph Aoun, reportedly told Saudi officials that he refuses to confront Hezbollah, an essential condition of the ceasefire.
An Israeli tank is parked near a sign warning of the border with Lebanon on December 4, 2024 in Metula, Israel. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)
JEWISH UNPACKED | Published January 7, 2025
When Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in November, one of the conditions was that Israel would withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days.
The deadline for that withdrawal – January 26 – is just over two weeks away, but Israeli officials are now saying that the IDF may need to stay longer.
Israel’s main issue is that the ceasefire is based on Hezbollah withdrawing from southern Lebanon, which it has so far failed to do.
In recent weeks, the IDF has repeatedly struck southern Lebanon in response to ceasefire violations, including the presence of rocket launchers that the Lebanese Army failed to address.
In total, Hezbollah committed 47 violations of the ceasefire as of December 27, according to the IDF. Lebanese officials also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire dozens of times due to the actions taken by the IDF against Hezbollah’s violations.
The Lebanese Army is so far failing to enforce the ceasefire
The Lebanese Army, in collaboration with UNIFIL, is tasked with enforcing the terms of the ceasefire concerning Hezbollah.
For years, the Lebanese Army has failed to act against Hezbollah, both because of a lack of willingness and because of a lack of ability. Compared to the Iran-backed terrorist group, the Lebanese Army is relatively weak and relies heavily on foreign support. The Lebanese Army and the political leadership in Lebanon, which Hezbollah is part of, are also concerned that acting against Lebanon could spark a civil war.
The Lebanese Nidaa Al Watan news outlet reported last week that the commander of the Lebanese Army, Joseph Aoun, told Saudi officials that he refused to confront Hezbollah. The news outlet later removed this detail from its report.
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