Withdrawal from Lebanon

Israel seeks longer ceasefire with Hezbollah

From left: US mediator Amos Hochstein and Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati

(Bild: AFP/Ibrahim Amro)

According to reports, Israel's government is seeking to extend the ceasefire with the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. This was agreed at the end of November and is initially only valid until January 26. US mediator Amos Hochstein has now traveled to Lebanon for talks.

So far, the ceasefire has largely held despite individual violations. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz takes a different view. His government could be "forced to act" because Hezbollah is not keeping to the agreement. Its fighters have not yet withdrawn from southern Lebanon and there are still weapons and terrorist infrastructure in the Lebanon-Israel border area.

This withdrawal is part of the agreement. According to the agreement, Hezbollah is to withdraw behind the Litani River around 30 kilometers north of the Israeli-Lebanese border. In turn, the Israeli armed forces are to leave the neighboring country. At the same time, the Lebanese army is to increase its presence in the border area.

Army withdraws
According to Lebanese sources, Israel's army has already withdrawn from Naqura in southern Lebanon, thus fulfilling this part of the agreement. Soldiers from the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping force UNFIL then entered the port town. "These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are completely withdrawn from Lebanon," said US mediator Amos Hochstein, who is currently in Lebanon for talks.

Hochstein is tasked with preventing the ceasefire from collapsing. The Israeli Security Council met on Sunday afternoon to decide how to proceed. The US government assumes that Israel's army will have to remain stationed in Lebanon longer than planned until the Lebanese army completes its task.