The press office of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati denied media reports that “Lebanon has been officially informed by intermediaries that Israel will not withdraw from South Lebanon after the sixty-day truce period has expired.”
In a statement issued on Friday, Mikati said he had communicated “his firm position to all parties concerned, including the United States and France, sponsors of the ceasefire agreement, stipulating the need to put pressure” on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese lands and cease violations.
The caretaker Prime Minister reiterated this position on Thursday, during the intensive diplomatic and military contacts he conducted to obtain Israel's withdrawal from the southern towns of Qantara, Aadchit, Qousseir and Wadi el-Houjeir, according to the text. Moreover, he had already communicated this position to the representatives of Washington and Paris at the meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee held at the Serail on Tuesday. At that time, Mikati insisted on the need for Israel to comply fully with its withdrawal obligation. He also stressed the need to reinforce the army's presence in the South, in accordance with the agreement.
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