Report: Israel Working on Withdrawal from Ghajar Based on Graziano Plan
Senior Israeli cabinet ministers, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have decided to work on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the northern part of the border village of Ghajar, Haaretz reported Monday.
The ministers of the cabinet”s "forum of seven" are to recommend to the security cabinet the adoption of UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano”s plan to have U.N. troops take responsibility over the area, the Israeli newspaper said.
The ministers also decided that residents who are Alawites would retain their Israeli identity cards.
The newspaper said that the U.S. and U.N. have told Israel that its pullout from Ghajar will help bring stability to the border area following the formation of the Lebanese national unity government led by PM Saad Hariri.
Washington and the U.N. have also said that the withdrawal would strengthen Hariri”s moderate camp, according to Haaretz.
Netanyahu reportedly wants to bring the matter to a vote in the security cabinet on Wednesday.
However, the Jerusalem Post quoted Israel Radio as reporting that the Jewish State has already agreed to the plan to turn over control of the northern part of Ghajar to UNIFIL.
According to the report, Netanyahu decided during the meeting Sunday that Israel would leave the northern half of the village.
According to Graziano”s plan, presented a year ago, hundreds of UNIFIL troops will be deployed in and around the village, along with a liaison officer from the Lebanese army. The 40 to 60 UNIFIL soldiers to be stationed in the village would respond in case of a security incident.