Israel said that it will remain in a few positions in southern Lebanon with the expiration of the deadline of the Israeli army and Hezbollah forces to withdraw from the region on Tuesday, which raises fears that an ongoing Israeli presence may undermine the fragile truce there.
After the November ceasefire, it ended the bloody war between the two sides for decades, which was supposed to assign both the Israeli army and Hezbollah, the strong backed group, by controlling southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army by the end of January.
The deadline was eventually extended to February 18, after deadly violence on the border.
On Monday, Israel announced that its forces will remain temporarily in five “strategic” points directly above the border in Lebanese territory until the Lebanese army would implement the end of the agreement, according to a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces, First Lieutenant. Nadaf Shoshani. He refused to say how long the forces will remain there.
This step has been embraced to what could be renewed of violence, as thousands of the Lebanese population are still unable to return to the occupied cities amid repeated warnings by the Israeli army.
The state -run news agency in Lebanon said on Tuesday that Israel withdrew from the cities and villages that are still busy along the border. However, the Lebanese army has continued to warn civilians against returning to those areas so far.
Under the truce conditions, Hezbollah must also withdraw from southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army is expected to deploy there. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Hezbollah of not supporting the end of the deal. Although the US -led monitoring committee has praised the deployment of the Lebanese army, the commission has not issued public data on the extent of Hezbollah withdrawing its weapons and fighters from the region.
Last month, Israeli forces killed more than twenty people while trying to enter the southern border cities, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli army said it had launched “warning footage to eliminate threats.”
In a speech on Sunday, Hezbollah leader, Naim Qassem, has strongly opposed Israel’s intention to remain in southern Lebanon – which was transferred to the Lebanese government by US officials in recent days – but he did not stop pledged to resume attacks against Israel.
“Israel must withdraw completely on February 18,” said Mr. Qasim. “This is the agreement.”
He added: “Everyone knows how to deal with the occupation.”
Despite their objections, Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have no real ability to force Israel to withdraw.
The new Lebanese leaders sought to mobilize their Arab and young neighbors to the United States in an attempt to pressure Israel, but they are largely powerless. Experts say Hezbollah, which was beaten through the 14 -month war with Israel, is unlikely to risk reviving the short term conflict.
However, if Israel remains indefinitely inside Lebanon, this may strengthen Hezbollah in the long run, regional experts said.
“If Israel remains in those five points, this is a gift at all for Hezbollah,” said Paul Salem, deputy head of international participation at the Middle East Institute in Washington. “It enables them to say that the occupation cannot end with diplomacy, and therefore Lebanon still needs armed resistance.”
The new president, Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, pledged to bring all weapons under the control of the state, and it is a challenge for Hezbollah, which has had a great impact for a long time on the country. It is not clear how Mr. Aoun will succeed in this endeavor.
On Sunday, the Lebanese army warned the civilians against approaching the southern cities until the army deployed there. The Lebanese army has accused Israel of adopting the burned land policy in recent weeks, including the demolition and setting of fire in homes because it withdrew from cities and villages. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request to comment on this claim.
Israel’s intention to remain in Lebanon is on the back of the escalating tensions in the country. After the Israeli army accused Iran from transferring funds to Hezbollah through Beirut Airport, the Lebanese authorities canceled flights from Iran last week. Thousands of Hezbollah supporters later prevented roads leading to the only airport in the country to protest and the UN caravan near the airport I was attacked.
Violent protests celebrated one of the first main tests of the new Lebanese leaders, as they are trying to curb Hezbollah’s influence over the country.
It seems that the Israeli army has escalated its attacks in Lebanon in the period leading up to the deadline for withdrawal. On Monday, the Israeli army said it had targeted and killed the leader of Hamas in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, more than 20 miles from the Israeli border.
Patrick Kingsley and Jonatan Reese The reports contributed.