Israel Issues Ultimatum to Hezbollah: Withdraw Forces or Face Ceasefire Failure
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Jerusalem, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Defence Minister of Israel, Israel Katz, has delivered a serious warning to Hezbollah, emphasizing that failure to withdraw all armed forces north of the Litani River will lead to Israel terminating the ceasefire agreement.
The ceasefire stipulates that Hezbollah must relocate its fighters and weaponry north of the Litani River by January 26. By the same deadline, Israel is required to fully pull back its forces south of the Blue Line, which is the United Nations-marked border between Lebanon and Israel, while the Lebanese army is to position its troops in the region, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
During a visit to Israel's Northern Command on Sunday, Katz asserted that Israel is dedicated to upholding the agreement. He remarked, "Israel aims to maintain the accord in Lebanon."
However, he insisted that Hezbollah has not fulfilled the requirement to withdraw its forces. "If this condition is not satisfied, there will be no agreement," he declared.
This ceasefire agreement came after several months of cross-border confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah that commenced in October 2023. Nonetheless, Israel has conducted limited operations, asserting that these actions target Hezbollah militants breaching the truce.
Both Lebanon and France have accused Israel of multiple ceasefire violations, underscoring the delicate nature of the truce.
In December, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expressed that any actions jeopardizing the fragile cessation of hostilities in Lebanon must cease.
"Both Israel and Lebanon have reaffirmed their commitment to fully implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and addressing unresolved matters. Both parties are urged to utilize the newly established mechanism as agreed in the understanding," stated UNIFIL.
UNIFIL has called on the Israeli military to withdraw as scheduled and for the Lebanese Armed Forces to deploy in southern Lebanon in accordance with the ceasefire accord.
The UN peacekeeping mission emphasized its collaboration with the Lebanese army to expedite recruitment and deployment efforts in the south.
The mission is prepared to assist in monitoring progress, including ensuring that the area south of the Litani River remains devoid of any armed personnel, assets, or weapons apart from those belonging to the Lebanese government and UNIFIL, along with adherence to the Blue Line.
Concerns were also raised regarding the ongoing destruction caused by the Israeli military to residential areas, agricultural lands, and transportation networks in southern Lebanon, which constitutes a breach of Resolution 1701.
