Israel Will Not Withdraw Troops In South Lebanon, Accuses Ceasefire Has Not Been Complied

UN peacekeeping Forces (UNIFIL) in Lebanon/UNIFIL

JAKARTA - The Israeli army will not complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon until Monday's deadline, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israel says Lebanon has not fully complied with the ceasefire agreement.

The deal brokered by the United States and France ended hostilities for more than a year between Iran-backed Israel and Hezbollah.

The fighting culminated with a massive Israeli attack that left more than 1.2 million people in Lebanon displaced and made Hezbollah very weak.

Under the agreement, which came into force on November 27, Hezbollah's weapons and fighters had to be removed from the southern region of the Litani river and Israeli forces had to withdraw when the Lebanese military was deployed to the region, all within 60 days of ending next Monday.

As reported by Reuters on Friday, January 24, Netanyahu's office said the process of withdrawing the Israeli military depended on Lebanese troops deployed in southern Lebanon and enforcing the agreement in full and effective manner, while Hezbollah withdrew outside Litani".

"Because the ceasefire agreement has not been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, with full coordination with the United States," the statement said.

There has been no immediate comment from Lebanon or Hezbollah.