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SvennoJ 1 day ago
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Uncertainty in Lebanon after Israel delays troop withdrawal

We are in Borj Al Mlouk, a village in southern Lebanon, roughly 4km (2.5) from the border with Israel. Earlier on Saturday, Israeli forces on bulldozers approached the village and closed one of the main roads using earthmounds and barricades.

The Israeli military will not be pulling out from territory along the border, in line with a ceasefire agreement that set a 60-day deadline. They are supposed to leave Lebanon by early Sunday, but the Israeli prime minister is saying Lebanon is not upholding its side of the agreement. He is claiming that the Lebanese army is still not able to ensure that Hezbollah does not establish its military presence along the border.

Now, Lebanese officials are demanding that Israel respects that ceasefire agreement. They believe these are excuses and that the army is not able to deploy simply because of the presence of Israeli troops.

Israel’s position is supported by the Trump administration, with the White House saying that “there is an urgent need for a short and temporary extension” of that ceasefire deal.

So, the White House is saying that Israeli troops have to stay in Lebanon longer because, according to them, Hezbollah is still a threat.

There’s a lot of uncertainty about the continued stability of this ceasefire agreement, but Lebanon has few choices. The army is weak and Hezbollah has been severely weakened.

But tens of thousands of people want to return to their homes and the army has set up checkpoints across southern Lebanon and is only allowing people to visit their homes where Israeli forces have left.

So, this ceasefire agreement is really a test. A test of whether the state can extend its authority across southern Lebanon.


Macron says Lebanon ceasefire commitments ‘must be honoured as soon as possible’

The French president spoke with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, about “their common concerns” regarding deadlines in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, according to a statement by Emanuel Macron’s office.

The call came after Israel announced it would not withdraw from southern Lebanon by Monday as stipulated by the ceasefire agreement.

Macron also said Israel and Hezbollah must honour their commitments “as soon as possible” to ensure that Lebanon regains “sovereignty over the entire territory”.

Israel was meant to fully withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days of signing the agreement with Hezbollah, which was brokered by the US and France.

But the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said on Saturday that it would not be meeting the deadline, while The Times of Israel reported the White House has called for a “short, temporary extension”.