Israel to keep bases in south Lebanon after its withdrawal
Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 3/13/2000

The Israeli daily Haaretz said on Sunday that army officers of the Israeli army who had presented their plan to the Israeli prime minister of Sunday on withdrawal from South Lebanon will warn against that in the absence of an agreement with Syria, the Israeli army will continue its land and air strikes in Lebanon even after carrying out a unilateral withdrawal.

The paper added according to a plan put by the Israeli Army under the name "Morning Twilight" the Israeli forces will, even after carrying out an official withdrawal from South Lebanon, keep bases hundreds of meters inside Lebanon in order to save millions of Israeli shekels needed for transferring these bases into inside Israel.

The paper explained that the Morning Twilight plan, which was prepared by the operation department of the Israeli army chief of staff, differs in important points from the New Horizon plan prepared by the Israeli defense forces concerning a withdrawal as a result of an agreement with Syria.

The paper added that Morning Twilight plan calls for great immunization of the Israeli settlements in the north and readiness for continued fighting in the north.

The Israeli paper continued that last Friday Barak met with the Israeli Army staff commission to justify his instructions given to the Israeli defense forces to prepare for withdrawal by the first of July with or without having an agreement reached with Syria.

The paper continued that the said meeting was held at a time when high ranking Israeli defense forces officers including the Israeli chief of staff Shaul Mofaz and Maj. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, the commander of the northern area, showed reservations over carrying out a unilateral withdrawal from south Lebanon.

The paper said that several Israeli army officers said they will be committed to the decision of the Israeli political leadership to carry out a unilateral withdrawal and will exert their utmost efforts to prevent any negative results, but they refused to shoulder the responsibility for any catastrophe that can be caused by implementing the withdrawal.

The Israeli army officers who criticize the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon told Barak that such a pullout from Lebanon will undermine regional stability, escalate acts of violence and obstruct efforts aimed at defending the northern Israeli settlements, adding that such a withdrawal will be a treason toward the South Lebanon Army militia.

Previous Stories:
  Israel refuses to receive members of Lahd militias after its withdrawal from Lebanon   (3/11/2000)
  Mofaz and Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon   (3/8/2000)
  SLA militias and Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon   (3/7/2000)

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