1 of 2 | Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati (R) meets with U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein (C) and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson at the government palace in Beirut on Monday. Hochstein arrived in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials to bolster a ceasefire before the Israeli army withdrawal from South Lebanon and address several other issues, including the country’s presidential election. Photo by Wael Hamzeh/EPA-EFE
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 6 (UPI) — U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said Monday that the Israeli Army has started to withdraw from the western sector of south Lebanon and will continue to do so until completely out of Lebanon in what he described as “a successful process.”
Hoschtein, who arrived earlier in the day and co-chaired the third meeting of the committee in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Nov. 27 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement in the border town of Naqoura, said he had “a very good discussion” with Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri.
He reported that before the Naqoura meeting started, the Israeli Army began to withdraw from Naqoura and most of the western sector in south Lebanon “back into Israel, south of the Blue Line,” in reference to the U.N.-demarcated boundary between the two countries established in 2000 to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon.
“These withdrawals will continue until all the Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely and as the Lebanese Army continues to deploy into the south and all the way to the Blue Line,” Hochstein said after meeting Berri in Beirut.
The cease-fire agreement, which was announced by U.S. President Joe Biden to end nearly 14 months of a destructive Hezbollah-Israel war, provided for a strict implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, backed by U.S, guarantees and an enforced monitoring committee to deal with violations.
Resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 to stop a then 33- day war between Hezbollah and Israel, calls for a full cessation of hostilities.
Under the deal, the Lebanese Army and security forces were to deploy to take control of the border area within 60 days. Hezbollah will not be allowed to rebuild its infrastructure.
Israel was to gradually withdraw its remaining forces during that period, and civilians on both sides of the border would return to their homes and businesses. Its pullout has been slower than anticipated, with both parties exchanging accusations of violating the terms of the cease-fire deal and warning that the truce could collapse.
Israel accused Hezbollah of failing to withdraw beyond the Litani River and keep away by some 18 miles from the Israeli border. It kept on bombarding targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as demolishing houses and bulldozing border towns, while preventing residents from returning to their villages.
Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have complained about Israel’s continued violations and systematic destruction in south Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem went a step further over the weekend, warning that his group was ready to retaliate for Israel’s violations even before the 60-day period ends.
“This is not an easy process to implement. …. But it is successful,” Hochstein said.
He noted, however, that “the mechanism is working well” and allows for the Lebanese army to implement the agreement by deploying in southern Lebanon and becoming “the only armed entity that would provide security.”
The Lebanese Army confirmed in a statement that its units took positions around Naqoura and began to deploy in coordination with the U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon. The statement indicated the Army would complete its deployment during the next phase.
Hochstein reiterated the commitment of the United States and the international community to support the Lebanese army, which still is reeling from the country’s acute financial crisis.
Referring to the sudden fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime, Hochstein called on the Lebanese officials to focus on Lebanon and “not to think about outside forces” so that they can rebuild their country’s economy and adopt necessary reforms to allow the return of investment and economic growth.
Lebanon, which has been without a president for more than 26 months, is to elect a new head of state Thursday.
Hochstein also met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Army Cmdr. Gen. Jospeh Aoun, who emerged as a potential candidate for the presidency.
