Skip to main content

Israeli troops remove settler group who crossed into Lebanon

1 min Mena Today

Israeli soldiers removed a small far-right group of Israeli civilians who had crossed into Lebanon, appearing to put up a tent settlement, in what the military said on Wednesday was a serious incident now under investigation.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the civilians crossed the blue line by a few metres © Mena Today 

The preliminary investigation indicates that the civilians crossed the blue line by a few metres © Mena Today 

Israeli soldiers removed a small far-right group of Israeli civilians who had crossed into Lebanon, appearing to put up a tent settlement, in what the military said on Wednesday was a serious incident now under investigation.

The Times of Israel reported 10 days ago that the group, advocating the annexation and settlement of southern Lebanon, said they had crossed the border and established an outpost.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military said they had been promptly removed.

"The preliminary investigation indicates that the civilians indeed crossed the blue line by a few metres, and after being identified by IDF forces, they were removed from the area," said a statement by the IDF, Israel's military.

"Any attempt to approach or cross the border into Lebanese territory without coordination poses a life-threatening risk and interferes with the IDF's ability to operate in the area and carry out its mission," the statement said.

The Times of Israel said the area the group claimed to have entered was under Israeli military control as part of a ceasefire deal signed last month between Israel and the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group.

Under the terms of the Nov. 26 ceasefire, Israeli forces may remain in Lebanon for 60 days. Israel has not established settlements in southern Lebanon, including when its military occupied the area from 1982-2000.

Writing by Howard Goller

Tags

Related

Gaza

From Gaza to Ukraine: when the wrong voices call for peace

In a meeting held Thursday in Moscow, Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, blamed Israel for failing to uphold a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, originally brokered in January by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.