Ghajar on Lebanese border
Photo: Hanan Greenberg
Report: IDF to withdraw from Ghajar
Lebanese paper reports UNIFIL received unofficial announcement from IDF stating it would transfer northern part of border-divided village to UN by end of month, followed by southern part as soon as Livni assembles new government
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Headquarters received an unofficial message from the IDF regarding Israel's intention to withdraw from the northern part of the village of Ghajar and transfer the territory to the UN, a Lebanese daily reported Saturday.
Foreign diplomats in Beirut told a-Safir that UNIFIL has completed a deployment plan for the northern part of the border-divided village, and is currently awaiting a date for its deployment in the southern part.
According to the paper, the IDF informed UNIFIL that it would withdraw from the southern part of the village soon after the new government, presided over by Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, is assembled.
A-Safir quoted from a briefing given by UNIFIL's force commander, Major-General Claudio Graziano, to ambassadors of countries belonging to the force. During the briefing, held in Beirut, Graziano was asked about the possibility of another war breaking out between Israel and Lebanon.
He explained that there were no ongoing preparations for a fresh round of battles in southern Lebanon, "however the situation could explode at any moment."
Regarding Hizbullah's frequent weapons smuggling into Lebanon, Graziano said there was no evidence of such activity, and that Hizbullah's operatives were not carrying weapons anywhere south of the Litani River. This is proof that they are abiding by UN Security Resolution 1701, he said.
