The Israeli Prime Minister announced to the troops in southern Lebanon that the army will withdraw only after the disarmament of Hezbollah. The key is supposed to be a fresh agreement with Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited his country’s armed forces in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. On this occasion, he declared that Israeli troops will remain in the area as long as the pro-Iranian militant movement Hezbollah poses a threat. TASR informs about it according to the AFP agency.
- Netanyahu visited Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
- Israeli troops will remain there as long as Hezbollah threatens.
- Israel and Lebanon signed a framework peace agreement.
- The agreement envisages the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of the army.
“Our position is clear: we will not leave southern Lebanon until this threat disappears. And as long as the armed Hezbollah is here and threatens us, we will stay here,” Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.
“Lebanon recognizes Israel, Israel recognizes Lebanon, and we say to Iran and Hezbollah: leave this place, you no longer belong here… There are two sovereign states that want to live in peace,” the prime minister added.
A contract was signed
Netanyahu’s comments came after Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in Washington on Friday. Its goal is “permanent peace and security” between the countries, and it also envisages the gradual withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from some parts of southern Lebanon in parallel with the deployment of the Lebanese army.
The Israeli Prime Minister already announced before Tuesday’s visit that the Israeli armed forces will remain in the so-called buffer zone in southern Lebanon as part of Friday’s agreement. He stated that both countries agreed on two areas near the so-called yellow line, where the disarmament of Hezbollah and handover of control to the Lebanese army will take place as part of the pilot project. Hezbollah leader Naim Qasim rejected this framework agreement on Saturday.
