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Wed, Nov 17, 2010 | Israel Prime Minister’s Office | By Crethi Plethi

Ghajar with the Hatzbani river and the current border fence below, and Lebanon beyond. (source: CiFWatch)

Cabinet Approves To Withdraw Unilaterally From Ghajar

Israel’s security cabinet on Wednesday morning approved a plan to withdraw IDF troops from the northern part of Ghajar and to redeploy the troops on the Israeli side [south] of the ‘Blue Line’.

The Security Cabinet authorized the Foreign Ministry to discuss the security arrangements for the withdrawal with UNIFIL. The proposed withdrawal from the northern half of the village would bring Israel in line with the U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 that ended Israel’s war with Hizballah in southern Lebanon in 2006.

Once a final plan is drawn up by the Foreign Ministry and UNIFIL, it will be brought to the Security Cabinet for approval before implementation. No exact date is given for the pull-out of Ghajar.

Press release from the Government Press Office:

The Ministerial Committee on National Security (the Security Cabinet) today decided today to accept, in principle, the proposal of the UN and the UNIFIL Commander, which is based upon an IDF withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar, and its redeployment south of the ‘Blue Line.’

The Security Cabinet authorized the Foreign Ministry to complete the details of the temporary arrangement in coordination with the UN and UNIFIL Commander General Alberto Asarta, as soon as possible. Both the security of Israel’s citizens and the normal life of the residents of Ghajar, which remains undivided, will continue to be maintained while the new arrangements are being put in place. The final agreement will be brought to the Security Cabinet for approval before it is implemented.

In taking these steps, Israel demonstrates its continued commitment to UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The residents in Ghajar say the village belongs to neither Lebanon, nor Israel, but instead is in Syria. Israel captured the village from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967.

Village spokesman Najib al Khatib demanded on behalf of the community

“the return of al-Ghajar village with both parts, north and south as one village with all its land to Syria.”

Read also “Israel Plans To Withdraw Unilaterally From Ghajar.”