Report: Israel to withdraw from Jezzine by beginning of 1999

The Lebanese magazine al-Shera quoted diplomatic sources in Beirut as saying that backed by the Vatican, the US and France are currently working to maintain a quiet Israeli withdrawal from Jezzine by the beginning of next year.

According to these diplomatic sources, the American and French efforts exerted to achieve this objective are being made in a way so as not to attract attention, away from the limelight.

Within this context, the magazine added, quoting sources from the occupied Lebanese border line, that administratively speaking Jezzine has come out of the framework of South Lebanon Army leader Antoine Lahd's control, after the military official responsible for Jezzine asserted autonomous rule of the district following critical disputes with Lahd.

The sources added that the main elements in control of Jezzine in the meantime are from the dissolved "Lebanese Forces," who were transferred last summer to Jezzine via Cyprus and al-Naqoura. Those elements underwent qualification processes at Khiam plain under the supervision of Israeli military men.

The sources added that this newly-born force has now become outside the will of Antoine Lahd. The sources stated that this new situation in Jezzine was created to facilitate the process of liberating the city.