US official describes withdrawal plans in Lebanon ceasefire, says international community will 'remain committed to be on the ground'
A senior official of the Biden administration told reporters on Tuesday that Israel and Hezbollah would both withdraw from southern Lebanon over the next 60 days.
While an official ceasefire was announced, the process of withdrawal will take time, to ensure that southern Lebanon comes under the control of the Lebanese army rather than Hezbollah or Israel, he explained.
“There is this period to prevent any vacuums from being formed, whereas [when] the Lebanese military deploys and reaches the South, the Israeli military will withdraw,” the official said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Though a similar deal was agreed to in 2006, it was not successfully enforced. The Biden administration official said the same mistake would not be made again.
“The idea here is that, unlike in 2006, where the international community reached an agreement and then abandoned the scene, here we remain committed to be on the ground, day to day, to watch what's happening,” he said.
He further noted that “Hezbollah is extremely weak at this moment, both militarily and politically, and this is the opportunity for Lebanon to re-establish its sovereignty over its territory.”
While Hezbollah’s political party holds just 15 seats in Lebanon’s 128-seat parliament, its paramilitary force has controlled much of southern Lebanon since 2000.
Ever since Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on Oct. 8 of last year, approximately 60,000 Israelis have been displaced from their homes in the north.
Over one million Lebanese citizens have also been displaced from their homes since Israel launched its operation against Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon about two months ago.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
