Israeli Cabinet fails to reach consensus on withdrawal from Lebanon

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
24 Jan 2025 06:27

A meeting of the Israeli political-security Cabinet did not result in a consensus on the withdrawal of Israeli forces, despite the rapidly approaching deadline.

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An Israeli occupation forces tank maneuvers in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern occupied Palestine, on January 23, 2025. (AP)

A meeting of "Israel’s" political-security Cabinet concluded without a clear decision regarding Israeli occupation forces' withdrawal from southern Lebanon, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

This comes as the end of the 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon rapidly approaches, as stipulated by a deal signed in late November last year.

Israeli authorities have reportedly requested the United States to extend the deadline for the Israeli military’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon by 30 days, beyond the date set in the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to enforcing the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The Resistance emphasized that the impending expiration of the withdrawal deadline on January 23 would "necessitate" the full and comprehensive implementation of the terms.

"Any violation of the agreement or attempts to evade it under false pretexts will not be tolerated," Hezbollah warned, stressing the importance of strict adherence to the ceasefire conditions.

Israeli news website Ynet reported that the latest Cabinet meeting focused on the issue of the military’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon, but it did not discuss any definitive conclusion. Moreover, the website pointed to sharp disagreements among Israeli officials on withdrawing the forces within the agreed-upon timeframe. Ynet also said that "negotiations on the matter are expected to continue until the last minute."

On November 27, 2024, Lebanon agreed to a mediated ceasefire deal with the Israeli regime, ending the occupation's aggression on the country. Although Lebanon has been widely compliant with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli occupation has committed near-daily violations of the deal.