Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has reaffirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will maintain their presence in the security zone in southern Lebanon, regardless of potential pressure from international partners, including the United States.
Speaking at the Muni Expo conference for local government officials in Tel Aviv, Katz said Israel has no intention of withdrawing its forces from the area, The Times of Israel reports.
“Even if there is an American demand,” the IDF will not leave the security zone in southern Lebanon, he stated.
Katz argued that allowing civilians to return to the area could create security risks for Israeli troops, citing past experiences in similar buffer zones.
“200,000 [Lebanese] residents will not return [to the homes they evacuated]. Because what happened in the past in security zones, where there was also a civilian population [present], was roadside bombs and attacks against the soldiers, and therefore we will not allow that,” he said.
“We are not withdrawing,” Katz added.
By Vafa Guliyeva
