House Speaker Nabih Berri announced that the American told him that the Israeli enemy will withdraw from South Lebanon by February 18, but will keep occupation troops in five positions, adding that he rejected the issue categorically.
Speaker Berri met with head of the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, U.S. General Jasper Jeffers, at the Second Presidency headquarters in Ain al-Tineh in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson.
Speaker Berri told the reporters that he totally dismissed the extension of Israeli withdrawal deadline, adding that the Americans must guarantee the Zionist pull-out from Lebanon; otherwise, they would have cause a major setback fro the new Lebanese government.
“If the Israeli occupation persists in South Lebanon, days will tell. The Lebanese state is responsible for that. The Lebanese Army is assuming its responsibilities south of Litani River; however, the national dialogue will address the situation as of north of Litani River in the context of the defense strategy.”
The Parliament Speaker stressed that “Hezbollah is fully committed, but the continuation of the occupation means that the Israelis will exercise freedom of movement and aggression within Lebanese territory, and this is completely unacceptable.”
The Israeli occupation forces continued on Thursday violating the ceasefire agreement in South Lebanon few days before the extended withdrawal deadline.
The ceasefire took effect on November 27, 2024, ending a 66-day Zionist war on Lebanon. After the end of the 60-day withdrawal deadline, the bias US sponsor of the agreement supported the Israeli enemy to keep its occupation forces in South Lebanon till February 18, 2025.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
