Israel said that it would remain in a handful of positions in the southern Lebanon while the deadline is transformed for the Israeli and Hezbollah military forces to retire from the area Tuesday, raising fears that a supported Israeli presence could undermine the fragile truce.
After a ceased the fire in November ended the most fatal war between the two parts in decades, both the Israeli army and Hezbollah, the powerful group supported by Iran, should have given control of the southern Lebanon to Lebanese military by the end of January.
The deadline in the end was extended to February 18, following the mortal violence on the border.
On Monday, Israel announced that his forces would have temporarily remained in five “strategic” points just beyond the border in the Lebanese territory until the Lebanese army fully implements its end of the agreement, according to a spokesperson for the Israeli defense forces, Lieutenant Colonel. Nadav Shoshani. He refused to say how long the troops would remain.
The move laid the foundations for what could be a renewed attack of violence, with thousands of Lebanese residents still able to return to the city occupied between repeated warnings by the Israeli army.
According to the terms of the truce, Hezbollah must also leave the southern Lebanon and it is expected that the Lebanese army unfolds in force. Israeli officials repeatedly accused Hezbollah not to support his end of the deal. Although the monitoring committee led by the United States praised the deployment of the Lebanese army, the body did not issue public data on the extent that Hezbollah has withdrawn its weapons and fighters from the Region.
Last month, the Israeli forces killed more than two dozens of people while trying to enter the southern border city, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli army said she shot “warning strokes to eliminate threats”.
In a Sunday speech, the leader of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, vehemently opposed the intention of Israel to remain in southern Lebanon – who had been sent to the Lebanese government by US officials in the last few days – but stopped to commit himself to resume attacks against Israel.
“Israel must completely retire on February 18,” said Qassem. “This is the agreement.”
He added: “Everyone knows how an occupation is treated.”
Despite their objections, Hezbollah and the Lebanese government do not have a real ability to force Israel to retire.
The new Lebanon leaders have tried to gather their Arab neighbors and appeal to the United States in an attempt to put pressure on Israel, but are considered largely powerless. And the experts say that Hezbollah, affected by the 14 -month war with Israel, is also unlikely that he risks rising the short -term conflict.
However, if Israel remains indefinitely within Lebanon, this could strengthen Hezbollah in the long term, the regional experts said.
“If Israel remains in those five points, this is absolutely a gift for Hezbollah,” said Paul Salem, vice -president for international commitment at the Middle East of Washington. “It allows them to say that employment cannot be finished by diplomacy, and therefore that Lebanon continues to need armed resistance.”
The new president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, has undertaken to bring all the weapons under the control of the state, a challenge to Hezbollah, who has long extended an excessive influence on the country. It is not clear how Mr. Aoun will be successful in that effort.
The Lebanese army warned the civil Sundays not to approach the cities of the South until the military lined up there. The Lebanese army has accused Israel of having adopted a burnt land policy in recent weeks, including demolishing and setting fire to the houses while he has retired from cities and villages. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for commenting on this statement.
The intention of Israel to stay in Lebanon is on the back of the growing tensions in the country. After the Israeli military accused Iran of having channeled cash to his Hezbollah prosecutor through Beirut airport, the Lebanese authorities canceled flights from Iran last week. Thousands of supporters of Hezbollah subsequently blocked the roads that led to the country’s only airport to protest and a Confogue of the United Nations near the airport was attacked.
The violent protests have marked one of the first important tests for the new Lebanon leaders while trying to curb Hezbollah’s excessive influence on the country.
The Israeli army also seems to have intensified its attacks in Lebanon in view of the deadline for retreat. On Monday, the Israeli army said she targeted and killed a Hamas commander in the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon, more than 20 miles from the Israeli border.
Patrick Kingsley AND Johnatan Reiss Contributed relationships.