Netanyahu credits Israel for changes in Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that what is currently happening in Lebanon is due to Israel's war on Hezbollah last year.
'The new Lebanese government is speaking of disarming Hezbollah. Who could have believed that? Alright, some of us did and I did, and this is what's changing the Middle East, as I had promised to do on the second day of the war,' Netanyahu said.
His statement comes after the Lebanese government decided last week to disarm Hezbollah and tasked the army with drawing up a plan to complete the process by year end.
Hezbollah has said it will ignore the cabinet's decision, which came under heavy U.S. pressure, while the group's backer Iran said Saturday it opposed the effort.
Under the November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, arms are to be restricted to Lebanese state institutions.
The government has tasked the army with presenting a plan by the end of August for disarming non-state actors.
On Thursday, the government also discussed a U.S. proposal that includes a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament.
The government endorsed the introduction of the U.S. text without discussing specific timelines, and called for the deployment of Lebanese troops in border areas.
It also called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from five areas of the south they continue to occupy.
Israeli has kept up its strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon despite the truce and has vowed to continue them until the militant group has been disarmed.
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