Rethinking the Lebanon border: Israel’s operational and strategic debates

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

Israel is insisting that it will not, at this stage, negotiate any withdrawal from the “yellow line” it occupies in southern Lebanon. 

At the same time, political and military officials have discussed the possibility of transferring responsibility for the destruction of Hezbollah tunnels to the Lebanese army, with operations potentially beginning in the southern town of Kfar Tebnit. 

The issue is also expected to be discussed in Washington negotiations between Tel Aviv and Beirut.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who spends most of his time in southern Lebanon, has raised in restricted security meetings the importance of maintaining the “yellow line” as a basis for drawing new borders with Lebanon, including the establishment of a buffer zone.

He stressed that any withdrawal from this line would bring Hezbollah closer again to northern border towns.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israelis that the army has full freedom of action and that there will be no withdrawals from the security zone.

Between the proposed new borders and the “yellow line,” efforts are underway in Tel Aviv to reach a unified position on the chief of staff’s proposal, which is being used as leverage in Washington negotiations. 

This comes amid Israeli concerns over the possibility that the United States may demand a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, a move Tel Aviv rejects and for which it is seeking guarantees, starting with freedom of action for its air force over Lebanon and extending to the establishment of a security strip to prevent proximity to the border.