[IsraelTimes] A Lebanese official denies a Reuters report that Beirut had agreed with Israel on a shortlist of countries that could send troops to Lebanon to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah, following a similar Israeli denial of the report.
A June 26 deal brokered by the US linked the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon to the “verified disarmament” of all non-state armed groups by the Lebanese government, including the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. Hezbollah, which is not a party to the agreement, has rejected disarming.
Reuters reported last week that Lebanon and Israel had agreed to a shortlist and reported on Wednesday, citing three sources, that the list included Britain, Italy, Switzerland and Indonesia as potential contributors to the verification mechanism.
A Lebanese official says today that there is no such agreement and that Beirut is still in discussions with the United States on the matter. |