Israeli defence chief says military presence will remain in strategic areas as talks continue over Lebanon withdrawal and Hezbollah disarmament
Location: Taybeh, Lebanon
By: Middle East Bureau
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the Israeli military will not withdraw from what he described as security zones in southern Lebanon or Gaza, according to a video statement filmed during a visit to the Lebanon border area.
Reuters said it independently confirmed the location of part of the footage as being near Taybeh, Lebanon, based on the terrain, road layout and vegetation matching satellite imagery of the area. The exact date on which the footage was recorded could not independently be verified, although Israeli media reported that Katz's tour took place on Wednesday.
Katz made the remarks from a military observation point overlooking the Beaufort Ridge, amid ongoing discussions over Israel's military presence in southern Lebanon.
The statement follows talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Rome last week concerning the implementation of a June 26 agreement linking Israel's gradual withdrawal of troops from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, with the disarmament process to be verified by a third party.
Hezbollah was not a party to the agreement and has rejected calls to surrender its weapons.
The United States has been attempting to broker an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group. The conflict has unfolded alongside the wider US-Israeli war against Iran.
A further round of talks is expected in early September, according to an official cited in the report.
The situation remains fluid as diplomatic efforts continue over the future of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and the question of Hezbollah's weapons.
Published by:
Omar Haddad | Correspondent, Middle East