Last Updated:
The remarks come amid lingering tensions after last year’s Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu | File Image: AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he welcomes Lebanon’s decision to begin disarming Hezbollah and indicated that Israel could scale down its military presence in southern Lebanon if the plan moves forward.
Netanyahu said that Israel acknowledged the significant step taken by the Lebanese Government, “under the leadership of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam.”
“If Lebanon takes the necessary steps to disarm Hezbollah, Israel will respond with reciprocal measures, including a phased withdrawal of forces from southern Lebanon,” Netanyahu said, referring to a decision by the Lebanese cabinet earlier this month to dismantle the group’s arsenal by the end of 2025.
It added that now is the time for both Israel and Lebanon “to move forward in a spirit of cooperation, focusing on the shared objective of disarming Hezbollah and promoting the stability and prosperity of both nations.”
The remarks come amid lingering tensions after last year’s Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire.
Hezbollah leaders have rejected disarmament demands, insisting Israel must first withdraw from five disputed hills inside Lebanon and halt its near-daily airstrikes.
The Iran-backed group, which fought a 14-month war with Israel, was left weakened after losing several senior leaders and fighters.
However, its leadership has accused Beirut of bowing to US and Israeli pressure, saying disarmament would only serve Israel’s interests.
Israeli officials have maintained that the five positions inside Lebanon are strategic outposts overlooking northern Israeli communities, where around 60,000 residents were displaced during the war.
They have also accused Hezbollah of attempting to rebuild its military infrastructure despite the ceasefire.
Under the truce, Hezbollah was required to pull fighters and weapons from areas south of the Litani River, though the agreement left unclear how its facilities north of the river should be handled.
Lebanon maintains the deal applies only to the south, while Israel and the U.S. argue it mandates disarmament across the entire country.
The war, which began a day after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, killed more than 4,000 people and caused an estimated $11 billion in damage.
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
