UN Warns Israel, Postponement Of Withdrawal Of Troops From Lebanon Violates Resolution

Israeli troops in the border area with Lebanon. (Source: IDF)

JAKARTA - The UN envoy for Lebanon and peacekeeping forces warned that delaying Israel's withdrawal from five points in the country violated UN resolutions ending the 2006 Hezbollah-Israeli war and became the basis of a recent ceasefire.

"Today marks the end of the period set for the withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in parallel to positions in southern Lebanon," read a joint statement, reported The Times of Israel on February 18.

"Other delays in this process are not what we expected, at least because this continues the violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006)," he continued.

In the statement, the United Nations also praised the progress made when Israel withdrew its troops.

"However, this should not mask any tangible progress that has been made since the Agreement came into force in late November. Israel Defense Forces has withdrawn from population centers in southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces have been deployed in challenging conditions, supported the return of the community and is working to restore essential services," the statement said.

Under a ceasefire brokered by Washington in November 2023, Israeli forces were given 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon where they launched a ground attack on Iranian-backed fighters from Hezbollah since early October.

The deadline was later extended to February 18, but the Israeli military requested that its troops remain at five posts in southern Lebanon, a source said.

On Monday, Hezbollah officials said Israel should withdraw all its troops from southern Lebanon. The existence of Israeli troops after February 18 was seen as occupation.

Israel said it would keep the deadline for withdrawals, but would maintain its troop presence in five strategic areas.

"Starting today, the IDF will remain in the buffer zone in Lebanon at five strategic outposts and will continue to enforce firmly and without compromise any violations by Hezbollah," he said.

"Hezbollah must completely retreat past the Litani River line and Lebanese soldiers must enforce and strip their weapons under the supervision of the mechanism set under US leadership," Katz said.

"We are determined to provide full security to all northern communities," Defense Minister Katz added.

Lebanon confirmed the withdrawal of Israeli troops, with their military then replacing the IDF troops along the southern border.

Lebanon then warned that the remaining Israeli forces in the southern region of Lebanon after Tuesday would be considered occupation and would seek assistance from the UN Security Council to bring order to Israel.