Zawtar Al-Gharbiyah becomes first test of Israeli withdrawal and Lebanese army deployment in south Lebanon
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army entered the town of Zawtar Al-Gharbiyah, north of the Litani River, at dawn on Tuesday, marking the first practical implementation of the pilot zones established under the US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel.
The town had not been permanently occupied by Israeli forces during the recent conflict, although Israeli troops had periodically entered to carry out demolition operations.
The deployment is the first step in implementing the framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26 under US sponsorship. Under the agreement’s third clause, the Lebanese army will gradually assume full security responsibility in designated pilot zones as part of a phased and verified Israeli redeployment, with the broader aim of restoring the Lebanese state’s monopoly over arms and sovereign control of its territory.
A Lebanese military source told Arab News that the army had also entered several villages that were not occupied during the latest war, including Srifa, Al-Ghandouriyah and Froun.
