The Israel Broadcasting Corporation said on Sunday that contacts had begun between Israeli army officers and their counterparts in the Lebanese army, with the aim of setting clear criteria for what is known as a "Hezbollah-free zone", in preparation for the implementation of a pilot withdrawal plan from two villages in southern Lebanon.
The commission quoted unnamed security sources in Tel Aviv as saying that these contacts seek to prevent any misunderstandings that may impede the implementation of the agreement between the two sides, especially in light of previous experiences that have been marred by ambiguity in the definition of these areas.
According to follow-up sources, work is underway to launch a pilot plan that includes two villages in the southern sector, which will be a prototype for the "test" phase, and the field meetings are focused on setting strict inspection rules to ensure that the two villages are free of any armed manifestations or infrastructure linked to Hezbollah, provided that the Lebanese army takes full control and prevents any return of the party's elements.
Paris and UNIFIL share the experiment
The sources stated that the contacts are taking place under the umbrella of the five-member international committee, led by Washington and with the participation of Paris and UNIFIL, with the aim of providing guarantees to both parties and preventing any breach that may re-escalate, as the Lebanese army is asked to strengthen its deployment, establish fixed checkpoints, and confiscate any illegal weapons in the areas from which the Israeli army withdraws.
The sources stressed that challenges still remain, especially with regard to the concept of "freedom of movement" for the Israeli army in the vacant areas, and whether it has the right to intervene immediately in the event of a breach through drones or intelligence.
Hezbollah, on the other hand, is watching these arrangements carefully, as preventing its members, who are residents of these villages, from being present or moving within their areas, poses a complex social and security dilemma that could affect the speed of the plan's implementation.
The people and the world are at the heart of the security test
Informed sources revealed that the American mediator chose the villages of Alma al-Shaab and Dhahira in the western sector of southern Lebanon as a starting point for the partial and gradual Israeli withdrawal, as a suitable environment to test the Lebanese army's ability to impose full control.
Located directly on the Blue Line, a predominantly Christian village is one of the easiest areas to control because of its historically lack of complex military infrastructure, while the neighboring Daheira is a geographical stretch that allows the two villages to be transformed into a unified test area to measure the effectiveness of the Lebanese deployment.
Gradual withdrawal within a maximum period of 21 days
The sources explained that the security plan that is being worked on includes a precise timetable that begins with a gradual withdrawal over a period of 14 to 21 days, during which the Lebanese army will take over the positions through fixed checkpoints. This will be followed by a full month of field assessment under the supervision of the ICRC, to verify that the area is free of weapons or ammunition depots, and if the experiment is successful, the withdrawal will begin to be expanded to include other towns such as Yarin and Marwahin, leading to a comprehensive withdrawal within about 60 days according to the understandings Approved.
The sources said that the mechanism relies on an advanced technical surveillance system that includes smart surveillance towers equipped with thermal cameras, ground sensors linked to artificial intelligence systems, and radars to monitor small drones, all of which are linked to a joint operations room between the ICRC and UNIFIL, so that any unusual movement through the Lebanese army directly without Israeli intervention will be handled.
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