UNIFIL urges Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon under month-old peace deal By Reuters
DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Thursday called for Israel to withdraw from its presence in southern Lebanon, citing what it called a violation of the Nov. 27 Israeli accord.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a 60-day US standoff that calls for a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops after more than a year of fighting, in line with a 2006 UN Security Council resolution that ended their last major conflict.
Under this agreement, Hezbollah fighters must leave positions in southern Lebanon and go north of the Litani River, which runs about 20 kilometers (30 km) north of the Israeli border, and Israel’s full withdrawal to the south.
In a statement, UNIFIL expressed concern over the continued destruction by Israeli forces of settlements, farms and infrastructure in southern Lebanon, considering this a violation of UN Resolution 1701.
“UNIFIL continues to urge the timely withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (instead of Hezbollah) in southern Lebanon, and the full implementation of Resolution 1701 as a comprehensive peace process,” the statement said.
The Israeli military said it was looking into UNIFIL’s criticism and declined to comment at this time.
Under the terms of the deal with Hezbollah, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon but neither side can launch an offensive.
The Lebanese army said it was following UNIFIL and the committee responsible for the agreement regarding what it said was a deep incursion by Israeli forces into some areas of southern Lebanon.
UNIFIL reiterated its readiness to monitor the area south of the Litani River to ensure that it remains free of armed individuals and weapons, other than those of the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL.
The ceasefire marked the end of the deadliest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since their six-week war in 2006. However, Israel continued its military campaign against Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.
