Military circles have expressed displeasure with the reported political decision to delay for a few days the planned withdrawal of the Israel Defense Force from the Shouf mountains and its redeployment to the Awali River. The delay was reportedly agreed to under heavy pressure from American and Lebanese authorities.
The military circles were quoted in the press as saying that the delay, ostensibly to give the Lebanese army time to prepare to take over from the IDF in the area where the Druze and Christian Phalangists are warring, will expose the rear IDF units to the crossfire between the Druze and Christians trying to improve their own positions as the Israelis leave. It was reported last week that the IDF was to begin its pullback from the Shouf area today and be completed by the eve of Rosh Hashanah on September 7.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
