Jerusalem, Sep 17 (IANS) Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said that progress toward an agreement with Lebanon on disarming Hezbollah cannot be made unless the Lebanese army significantly improves its effectiveness on the ground, weeks before a new round of US-mediated talks.
During a visit to troops near the Lebanese border on Wednesday (local time), Zamir said that the Israeli military is “determined to rid the area south of the Litani River of Hezbollah’s presence, alongside advancing the overarching objective of disarming Hezbollah.”
“This objective cannot be advanced as part of a desired agreement with the Lebanese government as long as the Lebanese Armed Forces do not significantly improve their effectiveness on the ground,” he said.
Zamir also said Israel’s updated defence concept relied on maintaining troops “deep inside enemy territory beyond the border.” Israeli forces currently occupy an area extending roughly 10 km into southern Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon are due to meet in Rome in October for another round of US-mediated talks aimed at reaching a security agreement, according to US officials.
A June ceasefire framework envisaged an Israeli withdrawal alongside the disarmament of Hezbollah, but implementation has stalled as Israel continues to carry out almost daily strikes in Lebanon, reports Xinhua news agency.
Lebanon has repeatedly demanded that Israeli forces leave its territory.
Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would continue destroying Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, days after Washington reportedly said Israeli and Lebanese officials would resume US-mediated security talks next month.
“We will continue to destroy the terror infrastructure in the ‘security zone’ in Lebanon,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, referring to territory in southern Lebanon where Israeli troops remain deployed despite a ceasefire that took effect in June.
He warned that Israel would inflict “even heavier blows” if attacked.
Netanyahu said Israeli forces had destroyed what he described as major Hezbollah strongholds at the Beaufort and Ali al-Taher ridges. Israel said last week it had destroyed more than 2 km of underground Hezbollah infrastructure at Ali al-Taher after taking control of the area.
–IANS
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