Israel says it will not withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, with Defence Minister Israel Katz clarifying earlier remarks that appeared to suggest an indefinite Israeli military presence in the area.
Katz said Thursday that Israeli forces would remain in the security zone as long as Hezbollah retains its weapons and continues to pose what Israel considers a threat from Lebanon.
The clarification came after comments Katz made during a visit to southern Lebanon on Wednesday drew criticism from Washington. He had said Israel was “not withdrawing” from the security zone and would continue operations there to protect communities in northern Israel.
A U.S. State Department official subsequently said a permanent Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon would be inconsistent with commitments contained in the U.S.-backed agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government.
Under that framework, Israel is expected to progressively withdraw its forces as Hezbollah is verifiably disarmed and the Lebanese military assumes control of southern areas.
Katz said Thursday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for an “extended presence” in the area until Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat Israel says the group poses is removed.
Israel seized territory in southern Lebanon during its latest conflict with Hezbollah. The fighting displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon, particularly in areas with significant support for the Iran-backed group.
Hezbollah Demands Israeli Withdrawal First
Hezbollah has rejected calls to discuss giving up its weapons before Israeli forces leave Lebanese territory.
The group, which was founded with support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the early 1980s, also strongly opposes negotiations between Beirut and Israel.
The U.S.-brokered framework calls for Lebanese forces to gradually take control of the south through a process involving designated pilot zones. A U.S. State Department official said the Lebanese military has begun implementing the first of those zones and that Washington will continue supporting the process.
The dispute leaves the sequencing of withdrawal and disarmament at the centre of tensions: Israel says Hezbollah must be disarmed before its forces leave, while Hezbollah insists Israeli withdrawal must come first.
The issue is also unfolding ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party emphasizing security issues as it campaigns for voters.
