Committee monitoring Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire meets for second time in south Lebanon

Lebanon accuses Israel of repeated 'unacceptable' breaches of truce terms

Lebanese soldiers secure the area after Israeli troops withdrew from the Khiam village in southern Lebanon, on December 12. EPA

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A committee tasked with overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah met for the second time on Wednesday. The meeting took place in the town of Naqoura, where the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (Unifil) is located, near the border with Israel.

The multinational monitoring committee is co-chaired by US General Jasper Jeffers. A French general, as well as representatives from Unifil, Lebanon and Israel, were all present at Wednesday's meeting.

A joint statement from the US, France and Unifil said the committee "will continue to meet in this format regularly and coordinate closely to support implementation of the ceasefire agreement".

Lebanon's government has accused Israel of committing a dozen breaches of the truce, and Information Minister Ziad Makary had said he hoped the meeting would address the “unacceptable” violations.

Under the ceasefire deal, which took effect three weeks ago, the armed group and political party Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw north of the Litani river. Israel has until the end of January to withdraw from the south of Lebanon, with the Lebanese army moving in to take control.

Mr Makary said the Lebanese army was gradually bolstering its presence in the south, while he noted the Israelis were withdrawing – albeit slowly. Israel has withdrawn from the strategic town on Khiam, a key battleground in the war with Hezbollah. The Lebanese army has since moved in and begun the task of demining and clearing rubble from the area.

The truce agreement, based around UN Security Resolution 1701, which brought the last war between Hezbollah and Israel to an end in 2006, requires the Lebanese army to increase its presence in the south. It is hoped that around 10,000 soldiers will eventually be deployed to the area – with a recruitment drive launched.

Gen Mounir Shehadeh, who until recently was the Lebanese government's co-ordinator with Unifil, told The National previously that about 1,500 elite commandos were sent to south Lebanon on the day the ceasefire came into effect.

“The Lebanese army has indicated its instant readiness to initiate and take on its responsibilities to implement this agreement,” he said.

Supporters of the Lebanese army have a big task ahead to equip it and increase the number of soldiers. The army is regarded as weaker than Hezbollah.

"All donor countries are aware that the Lebanese army needs financial support," said Gen Shehadeh, who insisted the army was capable of carrying out its mission in securing the south so long as the Israeli violations stopped.

"The army should be provided with the necessary equipment and weapons for these new military personnel that will be recruited," he added.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel is still bombing south Lebanon – although not on the scale of the attacks before the truce came into effect.

One of Israel's key missions was returning residents displaced from northern Israel to their homes. Three months ago Israel massively ramped up attacks on Hezbollah, leading to some 1.4 million people being displaced and well over 4,000 killed.

But while many from southern Lebanon have begun to return to the area, the same cannot be said in northern Israel.