Israel said he would remain in a few positions in southern Lebanon as the deadline had passed for Israeli military and Hezbollah’s forces to withdraw from the area on Tuesday, raising the fear that the lasting Israeli presence could disrupt the fragile truce.
After ending in November the most deadly war between the two sides in the decades, both the Israeli army and Hezbollah, a powerful Iranian group, were supposed to give control of the southern Lebanon of Lebanon to the end of January.
The deadline was ultimately extended to February 18, following Deadly violence at the border.
On Monday, Israel announced that his forces would temporarily remain in five “strategic” points directly across the border on the Lebanese territory until the Lebanese army completely conducts its end of the agreement, according to the spokesman of Israeli Defense Forces, Lieutenant Col. COL. Nadav Shoshani. He refused to say how long the troops would stay there.
The move set the stage for what could be renewed violence, and thousands of Lebanese residents are still unable to return to occupied cities in the midst of repeated warnings of the Israeli army.
According to the trial conditions, Hezbollah must also be drawn from South Lebanon, and it is expected that the Lebanese army will arrange there in force there. Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Hezbollah of not supporting its end. Although the U.S. Supervisory Board praised the implementation of the Lebanese army, the body did not publish public information on the measure in which Hezbollah withdrew its weapons and fighters from the region.
Last month, Israeli forces killed more than two dozen people as they tried to enter the southern borders, according to Lebanese officials. The Israeli army announced that he had fired “shooting shots to eliminate threats.”
In a speech on Sunday, the Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, he fiercely opposed Israel to stay in the Lebanese south – which US officials in the Lebanese government have passed on in the last days – but it stopped committing to continue attacks against Israel.
“Israel must be fully withdrawn on February 18,” Mr. Qassem said. “This is an agreement.”
He added, “Everyone knows how to deal with interest.”
Despite their complaints, Hezbollah and the Lebanese government do not have the real ability to force Israel to withdraw.
New leaders in Lebanon They tried to gather their Arab neighbors and complain to the United States in an effort to press Israel, but they are considered mostly powerless. And experts say that Hezbollah, beaten up by a 14-month war with Israel, is also unlikely to risk the conflict in the short term.
However, if Israel remains indefinitely within Lebanon, it could strengthen Hezbollah in the long run, regional experts said.
“If Israel stays in those five points, it is an absolute gift to Hezbollah,” said Paul Salem, Vice President of the International Arrest at the Institute for Middle East in Washington. “It allows them to say that occupation cannot be completed by diplomacy, and therefore Lebanon is still needed by armed resistance.”
The new president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, has pledged to bring all weapons under the control of the state, which is a challenge for Hezbollah, who has long had an unpleasant impact on the earth. It is unclear how Mr. Aoun will succeed in this effort.
The Lebanese army warned civilians on Sunday that they were not approaching southern cities until the army was scheduled there. In recent weeks, the Lebanese army has accused Israel of adopting a burnt -burnt policy, including the demolition and inflammation of their homes while pulling out of cities and villages. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to the request for comment on the claim.
The intention of Israel to stay in Lebanon comes at the back of the tension in the country. After the Israeli army defendant Iran from Lebani at Beirut Airport, the Lebanese authorities, the Libebanon authorities canceled flights from Iran last week. Thousands of supporters of Hezbollah later blocked the roads leading to the only airport in the country and the United Nations convoy near the airport came under the attack.
Violent protests were marked by one of the first major tests for new Lebanon leaders as they try to restrain the unusual influence of Hezbollah on Earth.
The Israeli army also seems to have escalated its attacks in Lebanon, within the time of withdrawal. On Monday, the Israeli army announced that she had been aiming and killing the Hamas commander in the southern Libano port city of Sidon, more than 20 miles from the Israeli border.
Patrick Kingsley and Johnatan Reiss contribute to reporting.
