US envoy confirms Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon to continue
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The US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein reveals he had fruitful meetings with the Lebanese Parliament speaker and PM on the Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire deal.
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Amos Hochstein, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden, speaks to journalists after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, January 6, 2025. (AP)
US envoy Amos Hochstein announced on Monday that the withdrawal of Israeli forces from South Lebanon would continue until their complete exit from Lebanese territory.
Hochstein made the statement following a meeting with Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh. He described the discussions with Berri as "extremely positive".
He said the discussions with Speaker Berri were very good. Before the meeting of the Quintet Committee, the Israeli forces began withdrawing from Naqoura and most of the Western sector. The envoy went on to underline that these withdrawals would continue all the way to the Blue Line, ensuring the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
During his visit, Hochstein also met with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, describing their discussions as "good and positive."
Following the meeting, Hochstein stated that "the United States supports the Lebanese Army, and southern Lebanon will return to stability and security. The implementation of the agreement did not happen as quickly as desired, but it led to the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the western sector and the deployment of the Lebanese Army there."
He said, "Mikati showed great leadership in reaching an agreement to ceasefire in Lebanon."
He added, "We still have 20 days, and we will continue the work we have done for the withdrawal of the Israeli army and the deployment of the Lebanese Army, with the support of UNIFIL."
On his part, Mikati reiterated the demand to stop Israeli security violations of the ceasefire, the ongoing attacks on southern towns, the systematic destruction of homes and facilities, and the violation of Lebanese airspace. He also called for a clear timetable to complete the Israeli withdrawal before the expiration of the 60-day period.
"The continuation of these violations and the talk of Israel's intention to extend the ceasefire deadline is strongly rejected. We are bringing this issue to the attention of the countries that facilitated the arrangements and the committee responsible for overseeing their implementation," the Lebanese prime minister stated.
The Israeli withdrawals will continue from towns in southern Lebanon, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, Hochstein affirmed, adding that the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Western sector to other areas will proceed, though he noted it may not happen as quickly as desired.
IOF withdrew from Western sector
In parallel, the Israeli Kan channel reported that Israeli army forces withdrew in the last hours from Naqoura and other areas before the end of the 60 days of the ceasefire, noting that this is the first major withdrawal of the Israeli army since the agreement was signed.
The channel indicated that earlier on Sunday evening, the political establishment agreed to the withdrawal of the Israeli army from South Lebanon, maintaining that this withdrawal coincides with Hochstein's arrival in Beirut.
It explained that the withdrawal is being coordinated with the set American framework based on which the withdrawal is supervised, while the Lebanese army is preparing to redeploy near the border.
Yesterday, MP Hassan Ezzedine, a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc in Lebanon, said Hezbollah "will not remain silent about the Israeli violations,” asserting that patience has limits. In this context, he called on the committee responsible for monitoring the implementation of Resolution 1701 to "fulfill its responsibilities and duties."
Ezzedine added that "Hezbollah is committed to not violating the ceasefire agreement, while the Israeli violations have exceeded 80.”
Read more: Hezbollah MP: Is US incapable of stopping 'Israel's' violations?
