West Bank & Jerusalem
Israel conditions Lebanon withdrawal on Hezbollah disarmament.
Image credit: Al-Monitor
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Israel will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday, according to Al-Monitor. The statement qualified remarks he made a day earlier that had suggested a more flexible Israeli position on the timing and terms of any pullout.
Gallant's declaration came after U.S. criticism of Israel's stance on the conflict and appeared to harden the government's public position on what conditions would need to be met before troops leave Lebanese territory. The defence minister's comments reflected disagreement within the international community over how to resolve the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the border.
