US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein announced on Monday the start of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Naqoura. Following his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the Grand Serail, Hochstein reiterated Washington's support for the Lebanese army.
“Israeli forces will withdraw completely from southern Lebanon,” announced the American envoy. He further pointed out that “implementing the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon is not easy.” “Lebanon is at a critical moment politically and economically,” he added.
The US envoy’s visit to Ain el-Tineh followed his meeting with Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun. The meetings took place against a backdrop of uncertainty about the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the approaching presidential vote in Parliament.
“We are determined to support the Lebanese army,” said Amos Hochstein, adding that “it is the only entity that ensures the security of the population of southern Lebanon and the presence of the Blue Line, and I congratulate the monitoring committee on its work.”
Following his meeting with Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Mr. Hochstein again stressed the difficulties encountered in implementing the agreement.
“The implementation of the agreement did not happen at the required speed”, he asserted, before insisting that this had nevertheless led to “a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the western sector and the deployment of the Lebanese army there”.
Meanwhile, Mikati addressed ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. “We demand a clear timetable for the completion of the Israeli withdrawal before the 60-day deadline”, he said, pointing that “the continuation of these violations and talks of extending the ceasefire deadline are strongly rejected”.
“What is happening is now in the hands of the countries that sponsored the arrangement and the committee overseeing its implementation,” he added.
Joint statement
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the US and French embassies in Lebanon also released a joint statement that day that emphasized the Israeli withdrawal efforts.
Amos Hochstein and US General Jasper Jeffers jointly chaired the ceasefire implementation committee, which held its third meeting at a UNIFIL site in Ras Naqoura, according to the release. French, Israeli, and Lebanese representatives, along with the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, were present.
The statement said that plans were discussed for a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the whole area south of the Litani River, with the Lebanese army being deployed from the west to the east.
Over the past month, the Lebanese army has been preparing for this operation by neutralizing more than 10,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance with the support of UNIFIL, thus enabling safe deployment. The withdrawal began at midday on Monday, with the Israeli forces in Naqoura moving south of the Blue Line.
The statement also stressed that “the Lebanese army is the only institution responsible for the defense and security of Lebanon”. The commission is working closely with the Lebanese army leadership to support these strategic moves.
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