Mapping villages and restricting the return of residents: Israel's new demands in Lebanon
Israel is seeking to conduct a comprehensive mapping and registration of villages in southern Lebanon, including houses, property owners, shops, and institutions, according to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar. At the same time, Israel is demanding that the Lebanese Army prevent the return of residents it claims are identified with Hezbollah and pose a security risk.
Israel has managed to convince the United States to prepare new working documents regarding the framework agreement in Lebanon, according to sources who spoke on Monday with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with Hezbollah. According to those sources, the United States Central Command, which is responsible for coordinating ties between the Lebanese Army and the IDF, presented a draft of an "executive protocol" that defines the operational mechanisms for the implementation phase of the security annex.
According to the sources, the American side adopted in this draft a significant part of the Israeli concept, especially the clauses that exert pressure on the Lebanese Army, whether to push it into a confrontation with Hezbollah or with the residents of the border villages, or to present it as incapable of fulfilling the required obligations. Such a thing could provide Israel with a pretext to continue its occupation and avoid any withdrawal, according to them.
The sources added that the Israeli proposals include conducting a comprehensive mapping of the villages in southern Lebanon, which will include registering the number of houses, the names of their owners, shops, and religious and social institutions. It was further reported that Israel is demanding that the Lebanese Army prevent the return of some of the village residents, based on lists prepared by Israeli intelligence of those who it claims are operatives or military commanders in Hezbollah, and that their presence constitutes a "security risk" to Israel.
The demands reported now fit into the security concept revealed on Walla in June, according to which Israel is working to establish a new "security zone" in southern Lebanon based on an area without civilian presence. According to the report, the plan includes control over the area, freedom of military action against Hezbollah, and the prevention of the rehabilitation of terrorist infrastructure, as part of a change in Israel's security concept on the northern border.
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