BEIRUT
\nLebanon\u2019s powerful parliament speaker Nabih Berri said on Thursday that Beirut rejected Israel\u2019s demand to remain in five locations in the south after the deadline for fully implementing a ceasefire deal next week.
\nThe United States, a key mediator, \u201cinformed me that the Israeli occupation will withdraw from villages it still occupies on February 18, but it will remain in five points,\u201d Hezbollah ally Berri said in a statement.
\n\u201cI informed them in my name and on behalf of President General Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Judge Nawaf Salam of our absolute rejection\u201d of this proposal,\u201d the statement added.
\nEarlier, Berri had met with US ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson and US Major General Jasper Jeffers.
\nThe American general co-chairs a five-party committee involving the United States, France, Lebanon, Israel and UN peacekeepers tasked with ensuring any ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with. \u201cI refused to discuss any extension to the deadline for (Israel\u2019s) withdrawal,\u201d Berri said.
\n\u201cIt is the responsibility of the Americans to enforce the withdrawal, otherwise they will have caused the greatest setback for the government\u201d.
\nOn Saturday, Lebanon\u2019s prime minister named a new government, with the weakening of long-dominant Hezbollah bringing to a close a two-year period of rule by caretaker authorities. The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has been in place since November 27, after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war.
\nUnder the deal, Lebanon\u2019s military was to deploy in the south alongside UN peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, which has been extended until February 18.
\nHezbollah was also meant to leave its positions in the south, near the Israeli border, over that period. Both sides have accused each other of ceasefire violations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIRUT Lebanon\u2019s powerful parliament speaker Nabih Berri said on Thursday that Beirut rejected Israel\u2019s demand to remain in five locations in the south after the deadline for fully implementing a ceasefire deal next week. The United States, a key mediator, \u201cinformed me that the Israeli occupation will withdraw from villages it still occupies on February […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":461686,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-461675","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n