In recent days it has become increasingly clear that Israel has no more intention of withdrawing all of its troops from southern Lebanon by the February 18 deadline than it had for the January 26 deadline. It is now more clear what the plan is, and how it will be framed as compliance.
The latest reports are that the US has informed Lebanon that Israel will in fact withdraw from the villages it current occupies, i.e. the populated areas south of the Litani River, by February 18. They will not, however, actually withdraw from southern Lebanon, and will retain those five hill-top “surveillance” sites they began constructing inside Lebanon in the past two weeks.
Both Israel and apparently the US are prepared to brand this as successful compliance with the Lebanon ceasefire. Lebanon has said they consider “unacceptable” the idea that Israel will just retain those new surveillance posts indefinitely.
US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who is nominally in charge of overseeing the ceasefire, is considerably more upbeat about this turn of events, cheering the “significant progress” Israel has made in Lebanon as loudly Friday as he did weeks ago when the first deadline was about to be ignored. He was careful to decline all comments on the Israeli posts inside Lebanon, which again Israel intends to keep.
France, who was also meant to be overseeing the ceasefire, has been a little more vocal in calling for Israel to speed up their withdrawal from Lebanon. Israel has made it clear they reject this “French proposal” and have decided to stay on Lebanese soil.
The increased clarity on what is about to happen in the next four days doesn’t mean Israel isn’t continuing to destroy homes in southern Lebanon, either. Multiple homes in multiple towns and villages were reportedly detonated on Friday, and Israel is reportedly advancing against the town of Yaroun, one of the sites they’re expected to leave by the Tuesday deadline.
It is unclear how this development will impact Israel’s ongoing policy of shooting Lebanese civilians trying to return to their homes in the south. Israel reiterated yesterday that those displaced must stay away from the area, but once the occupation is confined to hilltops, there may be more people braving the risks to try to finally return home.
