Israel trying to make permanent its occupation of southern Lebanon

Muhammad Amin

Israel is grimly holding onto five sites in southern Lebanon, refusing to leave and trying to persuade the US to allow them to stay at least another month, while Lebanon still expects them gone by next Tuesday.

If the Zionazis succeed, it will be the second exit “deadline” they have missed after they took a month’s extension in January.

Underlining their intent to hold onto more stolen land, the Zionazis Friday blew up houses in the border town of Yaroun where it sent a mechanised patrol with trucks and bulldozers. They also destroyed with explosives infrastructure in the area between Mays al-Jabal and Blida while its drones kept up flights over Sur (Tyre).

Israel says it wants to stay at the fives sites beyond the withdrawal deadline, but is facing stiff opposition from Beirut that wants them gone by February 18.

US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, chair of the US-led cease-fire committee in Lebanon, said on Friday he was confident that Lebanon’s military would control “all population centers”  once the deadline passes.

However, the New York Times noted that his wording was vague and allowed for the possibility that Israel is preparing for a long-term occupation.

The speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament, Nabih Berri, said Thursday US officials told him Israel intends to remain in the five undisclosed sites. Berri said Beirut firmly rejected the plan, insisting Israeli troops must completely withdraw from the country by next week’s deadline.

“I told them, on behalf of myself, President Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, that we categorically reject this,” he stressed.

The Lebanese speaker said that he refused to discuss any extension of the deadline for the Israeli troop withdrawal.

“It is the responsibility of the Americans to enforce this; otherwise, they will have caused the greatest setback for the current Lebanese government,” he warned.

“If the (Israeli) occupation remains, the days will be between us, and this is the responsibility of the Lebanese state. The army is fully carrying out its duties south of the Litani River.”