Israeli Foreign Minister rejects accusations IDF broke Lebanon deal, says Israel is enforcing agreement against violations by Hezbollah.
By World Israel News Staff
The Biden administration has warned the Israeli government that its actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon constitute a violation of the nascent ceasefire agreement, Yedioth Aharanoth reported Monday.
According to the report, which cited sources familiar with the administration’s warning, the White House accused Israel of “violations of the ceasefire agreement,” including “visible and audible return of Israeli drones in the skies over Beirut.”
The sources called for “restraint from all sides” to ensure the ceasefire holds.
Biden’s special envoy to the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, reportedly transmitted the administration’s warning to Jerusalem.
Earlier, Israeli media outlets reported that France had also accused Israel of violating the truce.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) pushed back on the accusations, telling French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot Monday that Israel’s actions were in response to Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire, and thus constituted enforcement of the deal, not its abrogation.
“Hezbollah’s presence south of the Litani is a fundamental violation of the agreement. They must move north,” Saar told his French counterpart.
Israel has also noted that the American-led committee tasked with ensuring that the ceasefire is maintained will not be operational until Tuesday, thus preventing Israel from reporting Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire came into effect last Wednesday, the IDF has reported multiple violations of the truce by Hezbollah terrorists, and has used force on a number of occasions.
Under the deal reached last Tuesday, Israeli forces can remain in Lebanese territory for up to two months.
A side letter penned by the Bidne administration guarantees that the IDF may freely use force against security threats in southern Lebanon, while threats north of the Litani must first be addressed by the Lebanese army.
Only if the Lebanese military is unable or unwilling to response is Israel enabled to act, and it is obliged to inform the U.S. ahead of time whenever possible.