Ghajar
Report: Lebanon under pressure by Hezbollah to reject Ghajar deal
According to Jerusalem Post , the Lebanese government is under pressure from Hezbollah not to provide any kind of commitments that would allow a UNIFIL plan on Israeli withdrawal from Ghajar to be put into practice.
Lebanon “fears” that the plan’s adoption would be seen as giving Israel legitimacy, according to the newspaper.
“The talks, therefore, are solely between Israel and UNIFIL, with Lebanon unwilling to participate even indirectly,” the Israeli daily said. “The negotiations with UNIFIL are over what security arrangements and commitments UNIFIL – not the Lebanese – will provide.”
According to Isareli Ministry of Foreign Affairs the second round of talks between Israel and UNIFIL concerning Ghajar village have ended Thursday
“Israel clarified that it is committed to continue its attempts to reach an agreement concerning Ghajar village within the framework of UN Security Council resolution 1701″ a ministry statement said.
The northern part of Ghajar was occupied by Israel during the 2006 war with Hezbollah
British envoy: No justifcation for a Lebanon-Israel war
Frances Mary Guy, the British Ambassador to Lebanon said there is no justification for a war between Lebanon and Israel. She expressed optimism about the UN negotiations with Israel over the withdrawal from northern Ghajar adding The British government too has been in contact with Israel over withdrawal from Ghajar and stressed that all parties concerned are serious about implementing resolution 1701
During a tour in Marjayoun, south Lebanon she expressed optimism about the reconciliations that have been taking place between the rival Lebanese leaders and said ” I hope 2010 will be the best year ever for Lebanon and the Lebanese people. She said PM Saad Hariri visit to Syria was a positive development adding that Syria has to take the necessary steps to improve its relations with Lebanon
A Village Claimed by Three Countries
Ghajar, a 2000-strong village which straddles the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, is a territory claimed by three countries: Lebanon, Israel and Syria.
Recent talk of splitting the village between Israel and Lebanon has villagers incensed and taking to the streets.
“Nobody wants this,” Najib Khatib, a village leader, tells The Media Line. “It’s not enough that we are essentially living within a prison, now they want to put a fence right in the middle.”
“They are going to divide families, take mothers from their kids,” he says. “Yet the government is not updating us, not including us in the decisions, and not even informing us. Nobody cares about us, they treat us like animals and we hear about the future of the village from the media.”
“We have no problem if Israel wants to return the entire village to Lebanon,” Khatib adds. “But not as refugees without our lands. We are one united village. The entire village is one big family and we won’t let the U.N. come in just to divide us.” Source: the media line
Israel to withdraws from Ghajar by end January 2010
According to An Nahar Israel will withdraw from the Lebanese side (northern part) of the border village of Ghajar by the end of January 2010 based on a deal between UNIFIL and Israel.
Lebanon has reportedly informed the U.N. about its acceptance of the deal , but UNIFIL is still waiting for the Israeli official response.
The deal stipulates that the residents move between the northern and southern sides of the village without any difficulties.
The residents of Ghajar a protested earlier this month over news that Israeli troops planned to withdraw from the northern part of the village which Israel occupied during the 2006 war with Hezbollah
“They will divide our people, cut families in two,” the villagers chanted.
Secretary for the town council Hussein Khatib insisted that Ghajar residents have no connection with Lebanon. “We would be like refugees in Lebanon,” Khatib said.
Ghajar residents say they are Syrian
The residents of Ghajar a village in south Lebanon protested over news that Israeli troops planned to withdraw from the northern part of the village
Israel to withdraw Ghajar in south Lebanon
Israel accepted UNIFIL’s proposal on withdrawing its forces from the northern part of Ghajar village in south Lebanon and to be replaced by UNIFIL troops, according to Israel Radio .
Israel Radio also reported that U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Special Representative on the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, Terje Roed-Larsen, has arrived in Israel on Sunday where he held meetings to discuss the issue of Ghajar pullout with Israeli Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and President. Ghajar lies at the foot of Mount Hermon and straddles the Lebanese-Syrian border. It is inhabited by Alawites, most of whom have obtained Israeli citizenship even though they consider themselves Syrian. The village is an extension of the Syrian Golan Heights plateau, which Israel occupied during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and then annexed in 1981. According to a U.N. one-third of the village is on Lebanese soil, while the other two thirds are part of occupied Syrian territory.
NBN: Israel plans to withdraw from Ghajar in mid January
NBN Tv has reported that Israel plans to withdraw from Ghajar mid January after UNIFIL makes the proper arrangements. Israel occupied the northern part of Ghajar during the 2006 war with Hezbollah
UNIFIL :No official confirmation that Israel will withdraw from N. Ghajar
UNIFIL told AKI: we have not received any official confirmation on the possibility of withdrawal by Israel from northern part of Ghajar village
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