The Lebanese government confirmed today, Wednesday, that Hezbollah accepted the army’s extension of its authority over the south of the country, noting that the army is authorized to implement Security Council Resolution 1701, according to what was stated in the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

In a press conference after a cabinet session in Beirut, Information Minister Ziad Makary said that the cabinet will meet next Saturday morning in the city of Tyre (south), noting that the army commander will attend the session, during which he will present the army's plan for deployment in the south.

Regarding the readiness of Hezbollah ministers to accept the deployment of the army and the extension of its authority according to the ceasefire agreement, Makari replied, “Of course, this is an agreement approved by the Council of Ministers, and there is approval of it from the Lebanese government and from the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Parliament) Nabih Berri.”

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem confirmed in a videotaped speech last Friday that coordination between the party and the Lebanese army "will be at a high level in order to implement the ceasefire agreement." He added, "Our view of the army is that it is a national army, leadership and personnel, and it will be deployed (in the south) in its homeland and our homeland."

Asked about the army's ability to deploy in the south, Makari replied, "We believe in the army, which is tasked with implementing Resolution 1701 with the unanimous approval of the government, and there is no other choice."

Resolution 1701, issued on August 11, 2006, calls for a complete cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel at that time, and the establishment of a zone free of weapons and militants between the Blue Line (the border dividing line) and the Litani River in southern Lebanon, with the exception of the forces of the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).