SOUTH LEBANON — Israeli and Lebanese senior officials on Thursday denied reports that the Israeli army had withdrawn part of its troops from the “buffer zone” in occupied southern Lebanon, following claims by a U.S. official that such a partial pullback had taken place as a “gesture of goodwill toward the Lebanese government.”
Israel and Lebanon have been holding talks in Washington for two days on a US-backed proposal under which Israeli forces would transfer “pilot areas” of currently occupied territory to the Lebanese army, a move that could mark an initial step toward restoring Lebanese control over these regions. The negotiations are expected to continue on this issue as well as the broader question of maintaining the cease-fire in Lebanon, even as they appear increasingly overshadowed by Iranian efforts to place the Lebanese file at the center of its own discussions with the United States.
It is within this context that a U.S. State Department official said the “pilot zone” plan aims to ensure the complete and verifiable destruction of Hezbollah’s weapons and infrastructure and the dismantling of non-state armed groups. “Israel has already taken a concrete step by withdrawing from part of its 'buffer zone.' This is a significant gesture of goodwill toward the legitimate government of Lebanon,” the official, quoted by Reuters, said.
The Lebanese Army must “now deploy in this area and carry out the verifiable elimination of terrorist weapons and infrastructure. This...
SOUTH LEBANON — Israeli and Lebanese senior officials on Thursday denied reports that the Israeli army had withdrawn part of its troops from the “buffer zone” in occupied southern Lebanon, followi...