"Israel": Ready to Consider Leaving Northern Ghajar
Source: Al-Manar TV, 01-09-2008
Marking a change in its policy for the past year and a half of not wanting to discuss the issue, ‘Israeli' daily Haaretz reported Monday that ‘Israel' told the United States on Sunday it was prepared to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese border.
A government source in Tel Aviv said the decision was made after the Lebanese government delivered written assurances that UNIFIL would be given security and civilian control over the northern part of the village, which is in Lebanese territory.
"The Americans have been asking us for a long time to move ahead on the Lebanon issue and after receiving the letter, it was decided to show a more positive stance," the source also said, referring to the written assurances by Lebanon.
The ‘Israel' War Forces Planning Branch and the Northern Command are now at work on the details of the withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar.
Ghajar, located between the Upper Galilee and the occupied Golan Heights, was annexed to ‘Israel' in 1981 together with the Golan Heights, and its inhabitants received ‘Israeli' citizenship.
After the ‘Israeli' army's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the border between ‘Israel' and Syria crossed the village, and that ‘Israel', which holds the Golan Heights, could operate only in the southern part of the village. However, according to the UN, the occupation army frequently operates in the northern part of the village, beyond the international border.
According to Security Council Resolution 1701, ‘Israel' was to have withdrawn its occupation forces from the northern part of Ghajar.
Haaretz added that in March 2007, the ‘Israeli' security cabinet approved a deal whereby the army would cease its operations in the northern part of the village, giving the UN and Lebanese army forces responsibility for security and leaving civilian affairs in ‘Israel's' hands. However, Beirut did not implement the agreement, among other things because of its political crisis. ‘Israel' has since refused to discuss the matter and conditioned agreement on a written pledge by the Lebanese government to a new arrangement.
The ‘Israeli' daily said that the UNIFIL had transmitted a number of drafts to ‘Israel', which it has rejected. About two weeks ago ‘Israel' gave an official letter to UNIFIL commander General Claudio Graziano, stating that it accepts UN security and civilian control over the northern part of the village.
Marking a change in its policy for the past year and a half of not wanting to discuss the issue, ‘Israeli' daily Haaretz reported Monday that ‘Israel' told the United States on Sunday it was prepared to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese border.
A government source in Tel Aviv said the decision was made after the Lebanese government delivered written assurances that UNIFIL would be given security and civilian control over the northern part of the village, which is in Lebanese territory.
"The Americans have been asking us for a long time to move ahead on the Lebanon issue and after receiving the letter, it was decided to show a more positive stance," the source also said, referring to the written assurances by Lebanon.
The ‘Israel' War Forces Planning Branch and the Northern Command are now at work on the details of the withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar.
Ghajar, located between the Upper Galilee and the occupied Golan Heights, was annexed to ‘Israel' in 1981 together with the Golan Heights, and its inhabitants received ‘Israeli' citizenship.
After the ‘Israeli' army's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the border between ‘Israel' and Syria crossed the village, and that ‘Israel', which holds the Golan Heights, could operate only in the southern part of the village. However, according to the UN, the occupation army frequently operates in the northern part of the village, beyond the international border.
According to Security Council Resolution 1701, ‘Israel' was to have withdrawn its occupation forces from the northern part of Ghajar.
Haaretz added that in March 2007, the ‘Israeli' security cabinet approved a deal whereby the army would cease its operations in the northern part of the village, giving the UN and Lebanese army forces responsibility for security and leaving civilian affairs in ‘Israel's' hands. However, Beirut did not implement the agreement, among other things because of its political crisis. ‘Israel' has since refused to discuss the matter and conditioned agreement on a written pledge by the Lebanese government to a new arrangement.
The ‘Israeli' daily said that the UNIFIL had transmitted a number of drafts to ‘Israel', which it has rejected. About two weeks ago ‘Israel' gave an official letter to UNIFIL commander General Claudio Graziano, stating that it accepts UN security and civilian control over the northern part of the village.
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