Report: “Israel” set to leave Lebanese Ghajar village

"Israel" has informed the United Nations Interim Force in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) that it plans to evacuate the northern part of the Lebanese village of Ghajar within hours.

Lebanese al-Akhbar newspaper, quoted , a senior UN official on Thursday on the condition of anonymity saying "Israel" would fully withdraw from the northern part of the village, which will remain under the UN control.

He told the paper that he believed the move was aimed at reducing the international criticism against "Israel". 

In addition, and according to an Arab UN diplomat, the occupation of Ghajar has become a burden on the "Israeli" entity as it weakens its position when it comes to "UN reports war".

Despite the report, UNIFIL announced that it has not been informed about any possible pullout from Ghajar, and no special army preparations for an evacuation have been observed on the ground.

On the "Israeli" level, foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed his outrage as news about the "Israeli" army pullout from Ghajar leaked to public as Haaretz newspaper reported..

"Israel" is obliged to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar by Resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day war between "Israel" and Lebanon's Hizbullah resistance movement in 2006.

"Israeli" troops have however kept a military presence in Ghajar following the end of "Israel's" aggression against the Lebanese resistance movement. The soldiers have also set up a security fence to control entrance to the village.

Ghajar, located at the foot of Mount Hermon, was annexed by "Israel" in 1981 along with the Syrian Golan Heights, which had been occupied by the "Israeli" forces since 1967.