US envoy Amos Hoxtin announced that Israeli forces today began their withdrawal from the southern Lebanese border town of Nakura, more than a month after a ceasefire between the Israeli army and Hezbollah took effect.

“The Israeli army began its withdrawal from Nakura and returned to Israel, south of the Blue Line, today. This withdrawal will continue until all Israeli forces are completely out of Lebanon, and while the Lebanese army continues to deploy southward, up to the Blue Line,” Hockstein told reporters, referring to the border demarcation line as defined by the UN between Lebanon and Israel.

The American envoy Amos Hockstein today called on the political class of Lebanon to agree on the election of a new president of the Republic, after two years of impasse.

With a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel in effect since November 27, Hochstein emphasized that “Lebanon is going through a critical period not only to implement this agreement, but also to achieve political consensus and focus on serving its people“, the American envoy said ahead of the vote scheduled for Thursday in parliament.