Israel announced that it may not withdraw from regions of southern Lebanon that it occupied during its latest war with Hezbollah, sparking alarm in the country.
Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv may inform Washington that it may not pull out from the South at the end of the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement that ended the war.
Yedioth Ahronoth said Israel is hoping that the American officials will “understand’ this position, especially since Lebanon has not met its commitments towards the ceasefire.
Lebanese military sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that they have not received any information about the withdrawal.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese ministerial source stressed that the reports may be Israel’s attempt at “testing the waters” and perhaps an attempt “to pressure the Americans and Lebanon to complete the Lebanese army’s deployment in the South at a faster pace”.
The Lebanese government is “seriously” handling these reports and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati is intensifying his internal and international contacts to warn against Israel’s attempt to remain in the South, added the source.
He will bring up this issue at cabinet after completing his talks, which include the US, it went on to say.
The US heads the committee tasked with monitoring the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned that his party was ready to retaliate to the Israeli violations of the truce.
“Our patience may run out during or after the end of the deadline,” he warned, while holding the Lebanese state responsible for implementing the ceasefire.
“The resistance (Hezbollah) is not bound by any time schedule. The resistance’s leadership decides when and how to resist,” he stated.
“Our morale remains high despite the wounds and pain,” he went on to say.
Moreover, he noted that throughout the 64-day war with Hezbollah, Israel only managed to advance “a few hundred meters” in Lebanon. “It failed to advance deeper thanks to the power of the resistance,” he declared. “We confronted an unprecedented attack, persevered and broke Israel’s might.”
Member of parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s Liberation and Development bloc MP Qassem Hashem stressed that Lebanon will not allow Israel to remain an hour more in the South as soon as the deadline expires.
“We will be confronted by a very dangerous situation should Israel fail to withdraw from the territories it occupied,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He noted Israel’s incursion into Syrian territories and Lebanon’s commitment to the ceasefire; and yet, it seems that Israel is keen on occupying more areas.
“Lebanon has not officially received any request to amend the pullout date. Should Israel remain in Lebanon beyond the deadline, then all international norms and treaties give Lebanon and its people the right to fully liberate their territories through all means necessary,” he stressed.
Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad said Israel is “committing shameful violations to compensate for its losses on the field.”
“It is everyone’s duty to preserve national sovereignty,” he stated after meeting with Berri.
Talks with the speaker focused on the ceasefire committee’s work, as well as the upcoming presidential elections.
On the ground and after 40 days since the ceasefire took effect, Israel continued its violations of Lebanese sovereignty. It blew up houses in the towns of Hayyan, Markaba, al-Taybeh and Rab Thalathin.
Israeli artillery targeted the vicinity of the Imam al-Sadr sports complex west of Mays al-Jabal town.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli unit advanced on the town of Bourj al-Mamlouk and took up position in the area, blocking a road with barbed wire.
The Lebanese army, in turn, closed three roads in the town that would give access to the Marjeyoun plain, thereby preventing any Israeli advance there.
