Khaberni - Israeli media began releasing leaks from "the Secret Security Annex" of the Lebanese-Israeli agreement signed last Friday in Washington after five rounds, the final round lasting four days.
The "Times of Israel" quoted an informed official stating that the secret security annex of the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon allows the Israeli military complete freedom of movement against what it describes as threats within the security zone and confirms that there is no automatic withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 12 reported for the first time this Sunday evening about secret parts of the security annex to the agreement with Lebanon, indicating that although the agreement was fully published on the U.S. State Department's website, the security annex remained secret at the explicit request of the Lebanese government. However, approval was granted for publishing its principles.
According to Channel 12's report, the leaked principles of the annex are as follows:
• Withdrawal linked to field assessment: Article four of the annex, according to the channel, states that any Israeli withdrawal will be subject to field assessment, not a predetermined timetable, which the Lebanese government has agreed to, meaning that the execution of withdrawals will be conditional on ground conditions, not confined to a specific timeframe.
• Israeli veto on trial areas: The Israeli channel, based on the annex, reports that the expansion of trial areas that the Lebanese army will enter will not proceed in the next phase without Tel Aviv's approval, noting that there are only two trial areas agreed upon, and Israel estimates that the deployment of the Lebanese army in these areas will take several weeks.
The channel also claims that the security annex establishes the freedom of action of the Israeli military inside what is called the Blue Line, allowing it to carry out operations against what it considers emerging and direct threats.
In this context, the report mentioned that Israel fears Iran might pressure the United States to link any understandings with Israel to a mandate for a complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory, which Tel Aviv sees as undermining the essence of the bilateral agreement.
Start of Withdrawal
According to the agreement, Israel is to begin withdrawing this Sunday from "two trial regions" in southern Lebanon, identified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Zutre and Froun as a first step under the framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel in Washington under American sponsorship, following a fifth round of negotiations.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the Israeli military is preparing to withdraw from "two trial regions" in southern Lebanon, in parallel with field arrangements allowing the Lebanese army to gradually assume responsibility in these two regions.
Mazen Ibrahim, director of Al Jazeera's office in Lebanon, stated that the Lebanese authorities have not spoken about whether the towns of Froun in Bint Jbeil district south of the Litani River, and West Zutre in Nabatiyeh district north of the river, are the two trial regions concerned with the initial step of Israeli military withdrawal.
Ibrahim added that the Israeli occupation forces are not present in West Zutre and Froun, noting that the internal discussion revolves around the matter of the "trial regions," where factions argue that this issue should be subjected to internal debate, and that the "trial regions" cannot be defined outside the framework of Israeli occupation.
