Staying beyond deadline: Israel insists on delaying withdrawal from Lebanon, citing Hezbollah threats

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israel remains adamant about not withdrawing from Lebanon on Sunday, the scheduled end of the 60 days for the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. 

This stance, which raises the risk of renewed security tensions in the region, was conveyed by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that the delay does not contradict the agreement. 

Israel claims that the gradual withdrawal is contingent upon the full deployment of the Lebanese Army in the south and the retreat of Hezbollah beyond the Litani River.  

Political leadership has instructed the Israeli army to refrain from withdrawing from the eastern sector of southern Lebanon while preparing for possible withdrawals from other areas. 

On Friday, Tel Aviv held discussions with Washington on keeping its army in the south, presenting reports reviewed by Israel's mini-security cabinet late into the night. These reports suggest that the Lebanese Army has not yet fully deployed across all agreed areas, necessitating continued Israeli military operations to destroy Hezbollah's remaining arms depots and prevent the group from rebuilding its capabilities.  

Israel submitted a list of strategic areas it intends to retain control over, particularly those overlooking northern Israeli towns, without specifying a timeline for the extended presence. 

Meanwhile, Israeli officials are debating the creation of a buffer zone along the border, with no clear timeframe for its establishment. 

The plan has garnered support from both the ruling coalition and the opposition, with the head of Israel's National Unity party, Benny Gantz, advocating for maintaining a military foothold in the region and continuing operations against what he called "violations of the agreement."  

Further discussions with Washington and the ceasefire monitoring committee are expected to address whether Israel's withdrawal timeline adjustments will impact other provisions of the agreement. 

The fate of southern Lebanese residents, who are anticipating their return home on Sunday, remains uncertain, with Israeli officials expressing concerns that their return could trigger new security escalations, particularly after Hezbollah's warnings against a delayed withdrawal.  

In response to these uncertainties, Israel's military command has intensified training exercises, preparing for various scenarios should the withdrawal not proceed as planned.