Northern Command Commander, Major General Ori Gordin, gave a closed briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today (Wednesday), where he gave them a pessimistic assessment of the situation in the north, according to Kann News.
Gordin said that Hezbollah had committed hundreds of violations of the ceasefire, which stated that Hezbollah must withdraw all its forces and weapons north of the Litani River, doing what they can to move forces and weapons and even make weapons south of that line.
Even worse for Israel, the Lebanese Army is being very inconsistent in demilitarizing southern Lebanon and ensuring Hezbollah is not operating or storing weapons there. According to Gordin, Lebanese Army units containing Shiite soldiers or commanders are even assisting the terrorist group.
All of this means that the IDF cannot fully withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance with the timetable agreed to in the ceasefire, according to which the IDF must fully withdraw from Lebanese soil by January 26.
Defense Minister Israel Katz openly said that the IDF's withdrawal from southern Lebanon would depend on the performance of the Lebanese Army in demilitarizing southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's willingness to truly stay behind the Litani River, both of which appear in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, Israel has also tried to advance a proposal with the United States, per which the IDF would entirely withdraw from southern Lebanon, with the exception of three unoccupied but strategic hills which can effectively shield important parts of the Israeli north while having an important vantage point into southern Lebanon to make sure nothing dangerous develops.
The entire Lebanese political leadership, meantime, has insisted that the IDF withdraw fully in accordance with the timetable. Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese state officials have warned that their attitude and actions towards Israel and the IDF would change if the army was still present on Lebanese soil.
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