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Last update - 22:14 01/09/2008
Israel to U.S.: We're ready to quit Lebanon border village
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Ghajar, UNIFIL, Lebanon 

Israel told the United States on Sunday it was prepared to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese border, a change in its policy for the past year and a half of not wanting to discuss the issue. A government source in Jerusalem said the decision was made after the Lebanese government delivered written assurances that UNIFIL would be given security and civilian control over the northern part of the village, which is in Lebanese territory.

"The Americans have been asking us for a long time to move ahead on the Lebanon issue and after receiving the letter, it was decided to show a more positive stance," the source also said, referring to the written assurances by Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces Planning Branch and the Northern Command are now at work on the details of the withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar.
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Ghajar, located between the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights, was annexed to Israel in 1981 together with the Golan Heights, and its inhabitants received Israeli citizenship. After the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the border between Israel and Syria crossed the village, and that Israel, which holds the Golan Heights, could operate only in the southern part of the village. However, according to the UN, the IDF frequently operates in the northern part of the village, beyond the international border.

In recent years the village has become a center for smuggling and infiltration of criminal elements from Lebanon to Israel, along with Hezbollah agents.

According to Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War, Israel was to have withdrawn its forces from the northern part of Ghajar.

In March 2007, the security cabinet approved a deal whereby the IDF would cease its operations in the northern part of the village, giving the UN and Lebanese army forces responsibility for security and leaving civilian affairs in Israel's hands. However, Beirut did not implement the agreement, among other things because of its political crisis. Israel has since refused to discuss the matter and conditioned agreement on a written pledge by the Lebanese government to a new arrangement.

UNIFIL had transmitted a number of drafts to Israel, which it has rejected.

About two weeks ago Israel gave an official letter to UNIFIL commander General Claudio Graziano, stating that it accepts UN security and civilian control over the northern part of the village.

Related articles:
  • Israel denies reports it plans to pull out of northern Ghajar
  • UN wants UNIFIL in charge in Israel-Lebanon border town
  • A village divided
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      1.   Olmert will destroy everything before leaving 04:04  |  Frank 01/09/08
      2.   Again Israel proves that it wants peace 04:32  |  Doc Holliday 01/09/08
      3.   Will this change anything???? 04:48  |  David G 01/09/08
      4.   Just to point out something here 04:57  |  Johnboy 01/09/08
      5.   What the hell! 05:08  |  Jon 01/09/08
      6.   Re:Olmert will destroy everything before leaving 05:11  |  Jason 01/09/08
      7.   Let them have the whole village 06:29  |  Avi 01/09/08
      8.   Olmert thinks 60 years is enough, for Israel to exist!! 07:00  |  Avram 01/09/08
      9.   as far as i know..... 07:09  |  kamal 01/09/08
      10.   Gajar citizens not exactly thirilled about this 07:12  |  Dan 01/09/08
      11.   Can the UNO be trusted ? 07:17  |  Jean Van Daem 01/09/08
      12.   might be a smart move 07:27  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/09/08
      13.   Another Proof Hezbollah defeated Israel 07:32  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 01/09/08
      14.   MORE RETREAT.....OLMERT the CRONY MUST LEAVE NOW!!!! 07:34  |  Yoni 01/09/08
      15.   Relieved... 07:58  |  Esther 01/09/08
      16.   #4 - Just to clarify, Johnboy 08:01  |  JES 01/09/08
      17.   Avi, It`s Not Israel`s to Give Away. 08:13  |  Reader 01/09/08
      18.   kamal 08:49  |  alan 01/09/08
      19.   An Other Political Victory for Nassarallah-Hezbanon 08:55  |  Joseph.E 01/09/08
      20.   Now the only obstacle is Shaaba farms 09:14  |  Natallie Durson 01/09/08
      21.   Olmertt has NO MANDATE..... 09:15  |  Pathfinder 01/09/08
      22.   Where are the US warships? 09:21  |  Maureen Ann 01/09/08
      23.   Olmert refuses to let go...... 09:26  |  Dolly 01/09/08
      24.   No Good will ever come our of this man Olmert 09:30  |  Onlooker 01/09/08
      25.   Assurances is just that..... Assurances without 09:32  |  The Archives 01/09/08
      26.   Be ready for much more - reality catch up Israeli bubble 09:35  |  isaac 01/09/08
      27.   Which means Israel will stay put 09:40  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      28.   Re Avram #8... 09:44  |  Esther 01/09/08
      29.   UNIFIL is scared of Hesballah.The UN has lied for them 10:28  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      30.   READER then it has nothing to do with Lebanon & Hesballah does it 10:39  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      31.   Alternate universe news: We`re ready to consider leaving N Ghajar 10:49  |  Natallie Durson 01/09/08
      32.   CFOOL Its Lebanese territory is it?What else do you know for sure 10:51  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      33.   Another stupid movement likes disengagement from Gaza 10:53  |  e.m Jordan is Palse 01/09/08
      34.   #22 the clucking fool and his clouded over mirror 11:03  |  vhardman 01/09/08
      35.   NATALIE Parrallel universe.We believe the UN 11:04  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      36.   #8 Avram, Ghagar is not part of Israel 11:05  |  Tzfonit 01/09/08
      37.   So Israel didn`t comply with 425 after all! 11:15  |  Raymond Deane 01/09/08
      38.   Response: #13 11:23  |  M. Schultheissen 01/09/08
      39.   #30, 32 PETER SM displays his ignorance. 11:56  |  Johnboy 01/09/08
      40.   Peter SM waves a meaningless Israeli Law # 32 12:35  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      41.   To Mohammad from Lebanon - `Zions`..... 12:52  |  Dagma 01/09/08
      42.   Excellent departure from confrontation, and towards peace 13:07  |  Ivar 01/09/08
      43.   Giving up to Lebanon is not giving in to Hezbo 13:37  |  Jo 01/09/08
      44.   No real security but it will give them no excuses 13:40  |  De 01/09/08
      45.   #34 boris now becomes the legal fool and decides what is law 13:53  |  vhardman 01/09/08
      46.   Not a day to soon, now the Sheba Farms 13:53  |  Justine Flipp 01/09/08
      47.   Is this a Preliminary to Olmert giving the Golan to Syria 14:04  |  Dagma 01/09/08
      48.   I wish the only obstacle was war mongering Arabs and Persians 14:13  |  Avi 01/09/08
      49.   CFOOL waves his ignorance,nothing to do with Israeli law. 14:15  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      50.   Have Israeli Leaders not learnt their Lesson yet 14:25  |  Dolly 01/09/08
      51.   with Leb NO LAND FOR PEACE 14:37  |  Imad 01/09/08
      52.   JUSTINE FLIP.Which UN map shows Sheba as part of Lebanon? 14:38  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      53.   JOHNBOY a whole page of nothing! Is it Lebanese or Syrian? 14:41  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      54.   This is what happens when criminals are caught 14:44  |  Arie 01/09/08
      55.   Peter you dont know the difference betwen ICJ and ICHJ 15:18  |  Labhras 01/09/08
      56.   #13;Mohamed fro Leb; and #51;Imad, the proof.... 15:26  |  Doc Holliday 01/09/08
      57.   about time 15:39  |  ravi 01/09/08
      58.   petersm and his legal prowess 15:54  |  Labhras 01/09/08
      59.   #39 - Once again, sonny 16:02  |  JES 01/09/08
      60.   #53 Well, that`s a simple question to answer 16:02  |  Johnboy 01/09/08
      61.   much ado about what? 16:09  |  Fair 01/09/08
      62.   #16 Do you even read your links, JES? 16:10  |  Johnboy 01/09/08
      63.   #13 mohammed from lebanon 16:13  |  John Allen 01/09/08
      64.   #13 mohammed from lebanon 16:13  |  John Allen 01/09/08
      65.   #22 Maureen Ann 16:17  |  John Allen 01/09/08
      66.   #32. Thanks for the great information. 16:21  |  John Allen 01/09/08
      67.   Your answer, JES 16:31  |  Murray 01/09/08
      68.   For Peter SM # 49 16:45  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      69.   I´m start understand Olmert´s plans 16:50  |  JP 01/09/08
      70.   to Mo from lebanon , in your dreams. 16:59  |  Jack be quick 01/09/08
      71.   Creepfool, what Shaba Occupation? 17:06  |  Dan 01/09/08
      72.   #68 Territory won in a defense war is hardly "stolen" 17:11  |  DesMnsDave 01/09/08
      73.   #61 Please cite the "international law" you reference 17:13  |  DesMnsDave 01/09/08
      74.   Leave Northern Jaffa and al Quds also 17:23  |  Raed Kami 01/09/08
      75.   We are massochists, what do we get in return, more terror? 17:39  |  Harvey 01/09/08
      76.   is there no end to the stupidity of the Olmert/Livni/Barak regime 17:46  |  zionist forever 01/09/08
      77.   OLMERT TRAITOR !!! 17:52  |  Ian Ward 01/09/08
      78.   Sounding the retreat.? Not really at all.. 17:59  |  Stephen 01/09/08
      79.   13 18:07  |  zionist forever 01/09/08
      80.   Tzfonit 18:15  |  utagawa 01/09/08
      81.   Israeli culture of occupation 18:17  |  Ibrahim 01/09/08
      82.   israel 18:18  |  azad 01/09/08
      83.   Ivar....again... 18:25  |  utagawa 01/09/08
      84.   Ravi in Punjab 18:30  |  utagawa 01/09/08
      85.   Johnboy # 60 It`s Not So Simple 18:32  |  Jeff Northridge 01/09/08
      86.   Leaving Raed 18:35  |  utagawa 01/09/08
      87.   Ibrahim 18:38  |  utagawa 01/09/08
      88.   #71 Kami Leaving occupied territory 18:42  |  Angus 01/09/08
      89.   To Clickfool (#27) 18:49  |  Morris Valentine 01/09/08
      90.   #62 - LOL@Johnboy 18:59  |  JES 01/09/08
      91.   Diividing villages and towns 19:14  |  David 01/09/08
      92.   #60 - Duh! 19:24  |  JES 01/09/08
      93.   For DesMnsDave, on the alleged defensive war # 72 19:31  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      94.   Ivar 19:40  |  zionist forever 01/09/08
      95.   Not Enough Places to Fire Missiles into Israel from? 20:24  |  UsedToPostHere 01/09/08
      96.   Border village 20:30  |  Art 01/09/08
      97.   #88 Angus in Dundee some additions 20:43  |  Labhras 01/09/08
      98.   #93 Clickfool defensive or not it is not their land 20:49  |  Labhras 01/09/08
      99.   Land theft? 21:09  |  RepublicanStones 01/09/08
      100.   Dayeinu, I could cry with despair 21:16  |  Harvey 01/09/08
      101.   #56 Doc Holliday 21:28  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 01/09/08
      102.   # 97 Labhras 22:18  |  Angus 01/09/08
      103.   #93 Clickfool - the `67 war wasn`t started by a tractor 22:19  |  Elihu 01/09/08
      104.   utgwa. & zionist4timebeing unhappy with occupation implications 22:50  |  Ivar 01/09/08
      105.   #102 Angus evasion V invasion 23:14  |  Labhras 01/09/08
      106.   #101 Mohamad from Lebanon 23:35  |  Moshe 01/09/08
      107.   #65 John Allen. But not in... 23:51  |  Maureen Ann 01/09/08
      108.   #101;Mohamad interesting interpretation , but wrong 00:06  |  Doc Holliday 02/09/08
      109.   Iran and Russia 00:37  |  Gregor 02/09/08
      110.   Maureen Ann 00:49  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 02/09/08
      111.   #85 No, Jeff, it really is that simple. 00:57  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      112.   #90 What JES demands Part 1 01:16  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      113.   Ivar`s applecart 01:19  |  utagawa 02/09/08
      114.   is there a doubt in anyones mind,that this guy is a traitor 01:29  |  chaim 02/09/08
      115.   #90 What JES demands Part 2 01:30  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      116.   To Clickfool - defending a defensive war 01:36  |  Morris Valentine 02/09/08
      117.   #56 Doc Holiday "What if the Israel Lobby was the Islamic Lobby?" 01:40  |  Maureen Ann 02/09/08
      118.   #90 What JES demands Part 3 01:43  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      119.   #92 Well, Duh! JES 01:53  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      120.   #109 The (funny) Teacher. Strange isn`t it, how America... 02:09  |  Maureen Ann 02/09/08
      121.   #20--Durson your nuts 02:30  |  Don Rosenberg 02/09/08
      122.   104 03:06  |  zionist forever 02/09/08
      123.   #98 Labhras 03:23  |  Moshe 02/09/08
      124.   re 20 Was this pillow talk natty 03:53  |  alan the real one 02/09/08
      125.   re 22 can someone please explain maureenann. 03:55  |  alan the real one 02/09/08
      126.   re 40 Click and his beloved Briton 04:01  |  alan the real one 02/09/08
      127.   the bottom line is its LEBANESE territory 04:02  |  delta 02/09/08
      128.   re 93 Clicky never gets the whole story. 04:10  |  alan the real one 02/09/08
      129.   re 93 Clicky never gets the whole story. 04:10  |  alan the real one 02/09/08
      130.   TO JOHN ALLEN #65 04:34  |  Steve Beikirch 02/09/08
      131.   DesMnsDave # 72 re Clickfool and your definition of defensive war 04:36  |  American in NY 02/09/08
      132.   Israel & Ghajar 06:07  |  massimo 02/09/08
      133.   Any Israeli withdrawal should be approved by Ben Jabo Ben Tize 06:50  |  Aounist 02/09/08
      134.   israel make peace 07:39  |  sev 02/09/08
      135.   sev on fools 07:57  |  zengeos 02/09/08
      136.   Steve on US Navy in Israel 08:04  |  zengeos 02/09/08
      137.   #92 JES goes A Bridge Too Far. 08:07  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      138.   CFOOL Shall we agree you had no idea what you were taliking about 08:12  |  PETER SM 02/09/08
      139.   Shameful US support for the land thieves in Israel 08:13  |  Dutch 02/09/08
      140.   Am and defensive war 08:18  |  zengeos 02/09/08
      141.   MASSIMO PROVES TO BE MINIMUMO 08:19  |  vhardman 02/09/08
      142.   #67 - Your response to my answer, Murray (2nd Try) 08:53  |  JES 02/09/08
      143.   #112 - Well, well, well... a three-parter 08:55  |  JES 02/09/08
      144.   #115 - Well, well: Part II 08:56  |  JES 02/09/08
      145.   #137 - Who da weasle? You da weasle! 09:04  |  JES 02/09/08
      146.   zengeoes wants the massada 09:10  |  sev 02/09/08
      147.   #72 Errr, no, DesMnsDave 09:20  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      148.   #140 Err, that`s nonsense, zengeos 09:33  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      149.   For Morris Valentine, who ignores Dayan`s view # 116 09:58  |  Clickfool 02/09/08
      150.   #142 Why, this part, JES 10:42  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      151.   #149 boris the clucking fool and the cloudy mirror again 11:09  |  vhardman 02/09/08
      152.   JES and Johnboy - and defensive wars 12:28  |  Murray 02/09/08
      153.   #142 Oh, and if you want to quibble about it, JES 12:51  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      154.   #142 Perhaps Israel can get water from De-Nile, JES 14:36  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      155.   #143 Better think again, JES 14:47  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      156.   #142 They were still trying it on in 2000, JES. 14:55  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      157.   #144 It is who has CONTROL of the water, JES 15:07  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      158.   #117;Maureen Ann, What if....indeed 15:37  |  Doc Holliday 02/09/08
      159.   #8.Avram. No. He is oly RETURNING What is not his to keep 17:40  |  Kololo 02/09/08
      160.   #7 Avi. SOUR GRAPE? 17:44  |  Ari 02/09/08
      161.   Israel to Quit Border so Hizbullies can FIL in for ready attack 18:07  |  glenna 02/09/08
      162.   #154, et al. - Flailing about, are we Johnboy? 18:56  |  JES 02/09/08
      163.   #162 Giving up the fight, JES? 01:23  |  Johnboy 03/09/08
      164.   Time for a recap, methinks Part 1 05:51  |  Johnboy 03/09/08
      165.   Time for a recap, methinks Part 2 06:21  |  Johnboy 03/09/08
      166.   To Clickie (#149) 07:00  |  Morris Valentine 03/09/08
      167.   TO zengeos #136 07:51  |  Steve Beikirch 03/09/08
      168.   #166 - Raht back at ya` 08:13  |  JES 03/09/08
      169.   TO zengeos #140 08:15  |  Steve Beikirch 03/09/08
      170.   #166 Morris, Clickfool is not taking Dayan out of context 13:43  |  Johnboy 03/09/08
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