Israel Defends Troops In Five Locations In Lebanon Passing Time Limit For Military Withdrawal

Lebanese/DOK UNHCR Refugees

JAKARTA - Israel will maintain its troops at several posts in southern Lebanon past their withdrawal deadline on February 18.

Under a ceasefire deal brokered by Washington in November, Israeli forces were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they launched a ground offensive against fighters of the Hezbollah armed group in Lebanon since early October.

The deadline was extended until February 18, but Israeli and Lebanese officials and foreign diplomats have anticipated the military will maintain a number of troops on the Lebanese border.

"We must remain at these points at this point to defend Israelis, to ensure this process is completed and ultimately hand it over to the Lebanese armed forces," said Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani in a briefing with reporters.

He said the move was in accordance with the ceasefire agreement mechanism.

Nadav said the locations were close to the Israeli community or occupy strategic places overlooking Israeli cities such as Metula, at Israel's northernmost point.

"Basically the security situation is very, very complex," he said.

A Lebanese official and two foreign diplomats said Israeli forces were likely to leave villages in southern Lebanon but remained at neglected points to reassure the residents of northern Israel who would return to their homes on March 1.

Tens of thousands of people fled from northern Israel as a result of Hezbollah rocket fire and more than one million people in Lebanon fled Israeli airstrikes in a year-long war conflict that coincided with the Gaza war.

The fighting ended in late November with a ceasefire ordering Israeli troops to withdraw from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah fighters and their weapons to leave, and Lebanese troops to deploy.

The ceasefire agreement stipulates only official military and security forces in Lebanon that can carry weapons and that the Lebanese government must prevent the transfer of weapons or any related material to non-state armed groups.

The statement, sharper than the UN Security Council's previous Resolution, seems to outline the ways the Lebanese government hopes to limit Hezbollah, diplomats and analysts say.

The implementation of the agreement is overseen by a committee chaired by the US and France.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who said Israeli troops had to leave before the February 18 deadline, said on Monday he feared the full recall (Israel) would not be reached tomorrow.