On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz accused the Lebanese Hezbollah of not adhering to the terms of the ceasefire agreement that began between the two parties in late November, warning that his country “will be forced to act” if this continues.
Katz said that Hezbollah has not yet withdrawn “beyond the Litani River” in southern Lebanon, that is, to the area north of the river, and thus away from Israel’s borders. This came during Katz’s visit to the Northern Command headquarters of the Israeli army and his inspection of the weapons exhibition collected by the army from southern Lebanon.
He added: “If this condition is not implemented, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act alone to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” according to Agence France-Presse.
Katz said: “Israel is interested in implementing the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to implement it fully without concessions to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes, but the first condition for implementing the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the failure of the terrorist infrastructure in the region from Before the Lebanese army, which has not happened yet.” He stressed in his speech: “We will not allow the creation of a renewed threat to the northern towns and the citizens of the State of Israel.”
Media outlets reported that “an Israeli force consisting of approximately 20 soldiers penetrated between the Aita al-Shaab and Rmish border areas in southern Lebanon, then withdrew to Israeli territory.”
UNIFIL peacekeeping forces closed the main Wadi al-Hujair road at the foot of Qusayr, Alman, and Deir Siryan in southern Lebanon to search for possible Hezbollah facilities.
In its latest official statements, UNIFIL confirmed two days ago that operations carried out by Israeli forces north of the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel are continuing, including through “movements northward in the eastern sector” of its area of operations. During a press conference held in New York last Friday, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said, “Israel and Lebanon renewed their commitment to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701,” and urged both parties to use the newly established mechanism under the Cessation of Hostilities Understanding to address the outstanding issues. .
“Hezbollah”: We do not have a “veto” over the army commander, and after the expiry of the 60-day period, it is up to us.
In turn, the official of the Lebanese Hezbollah Liaison and Coordination Unit, Wafik Safa, announced that the party has no “veto” over the nomination of the Army Commander for the presidency of the republic, and that the only party’s “veto” includes Samir Geagea.
Wafiq Safa said, in a speech from the site of the assassination of the former Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, that “the resistance has made the enemy lose security at home, and we have been and will remain in the service of the resistance and with its people, and we will prevent any harm from them at home.”
Safa stressed, “Hezbollah has not and will not be defeated, and as Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said, it was created with victory on its forehead, and it is stronger than iron and stronger than it was,” stressing that “we do not have a veto on the army commander (General Joseph Aoun), and” “The only veto for us is against the head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, because it is a project of sedition and destruction in the country.”
In response to a question about whether the Israeli army did not withdraw after the 60-day deadline, he said, “The Lebanese army and the monitoring committee were not informed of this matter, but after the 60 days have passed, it is up to Hezbollah and the resistance to decide what they will do, and as Sheikh Naim Qassem said, this is the responsibility of the state that signed the agreement and is the one who “We will follow up on ceasefire measures or violations.”
For his part, Lebanese Parliament member Hussein Al-Haj Hassan said that Israel’s violations since the ceasefire have exceeded 1,000 violations, and these violations are committed by the international community first, led by the United States of America and France, the guarantors of the agreement.
He pointed out that the United States and France have not done anything so far to stop the Israeli violations if they were not complicit or participating, and I believe that the American is complicit and participating.
He stressed that “the resistance has recovered and is continuing its recovery. The resistance is strong and capable and can face all the challenges that can put pressure on it.”
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