US calls for extension of Israeli withdrawal deadline from Lebanon
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The White House stresses the need to grant the Israeli occupation more time to withdraw from Southern Lebanon beyond the 60 days it was previously given.
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Israeli soldiers drive inside a village in southern Lebanon, as seen form northern occupied Palestine, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025 (AP)
The White House emphasized the urgent need for an extension of the Israeli withdrawal deadline from Lebanon, namely the necessity of a "short, temporary ceasefire extension."
Brian Hughes, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, stated, "All parties share the goal of ensuring Hezbollah does not have the ability to threaten the Lebanese people or their neighbors. To achieve these goals, a short, temporary ceasefire extension is urgently needed," ignoring the flagrant Israeli violations of the ceasefire.
Hughes added that the US was "working closely with regional partners to finalize the extension" of the ceasefire reached on November 27, 2024.
The White House welcomed the Israeli occupation forces’ withdrawal from central regions of Southern Lebanon, reaffirming President Donald Trump's commitment to "ensuring the return of Israelis to the north while supporting the Lebanese president and government."
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced earlier on Friday that Israeli forces would not complete their withdrawal from southern Lebanon within the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu says deadline delay needed
In the first public acknowledgment of the delay, following weeks of speculation, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement explaining that the Israeli military's withdrawal process "is conditional on the Lebanese Army deploying in southern Lebanon and fully and effectively enforcing the agreement, while Hezbollah withdraws beyond the Litani.”
Netanyahu alleged that since Lebanon "has not yet fully enforced" its obligations under the ceasefire, "the phased withdrawal process will continue," further claiming "full coordination with the United States."
The premier claimed that the terms of the agreement were drafted "with the understanding that the withdrawal process may continue beyond 60 days."
The Israeli military began withdrawing from central regions, but its forces will remain in southern Lebanon beyond the original deadline. The extended timeline underscores ongoing challenges in implementing the ceasefire agreement.
Ceasefire terms
Under the ceasefire agreement, the Lebanese Army is required to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as the Israeli military completes its withdrawal over a 60-day period.
Hezbollah is obligated to pull its forces back north of the Litani River, approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south.
A committee consisting of delegates from "Israel", Lebanon, France, the United States, and a representative from the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, has been established to monitor and address any violations of the ceasefire.
It is noteworthy that the UN peacekeeping force has reported multiple instances of Israeli violations of the ceasefire terms.
