Israel has started evacuating its forces from southern Lebanon as 1000 paratroopers dropped on Saturday at night and were hiding in the mountains, starting marching back to Israel in planed lines to avoid the Land mines placed in the area.
On Monday at night, Israeli military officials said that those troops should be evacuated as soon as possible since they could become a clear target for Hezbollah fighters.
Yet, Israeli officials said that Israel prefers the deployment of Lebanese and international forces before it carries a full organized evacuation.
On Tuesday night, the Israeli foreign minister is expected to meet with the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to discuss the deployment of International Emergency Forces while Israel is pulling its forces out.
Also, Israeli vice prime minister, Shimon Peres, plans to meet with the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice to discuss the implementation of cease fire. Peres is also running a campaign to raise funds for Israel.
Meanwhile, an Israeli army official said on Monday at night that Israel is ready for a fast evacuation from southern Lebanon, but the army “knows that it is not over yet, and we have to be prepared for a possible escalation”, according to the official.
But senior Israeli security sources reported that Israel believes that Hezbollah is interested in maintaining the seize fire and that the international forces will start deploying in southern Lebanon Tuesday or Wednesday.
Also, the Lebanese Defense Minister, Elias Murr, said the Lebanese army would send 15,000 troops to the north of the Litani River by the end of the week, and that those forces are ready to enter the southern border area.
Murr added that Lebanon does not intend to disarm Hezbollah,who have controlled the area for six years.
“The army will not disarm the fighters who protected the area for the past six years”, Al Murr told the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.
He added that Lebanese troops would only deploy on the borders after the United Nations force verifies that all Israeli troops were evacuated from Lebanon.
Lebanese soldiers would also start moving into southern Lebanon directly after the UNIFIL force arrives.
