Premier Yitzhak Rabin and his senior ministers expressed satisfaction yesterday over the Syrian pull-back in southern Lebanon. Rabin told the Cabinet at its weekly session that the government’s “balanced but tough” approach to the situation in southern Lebanon has borne fruit. He also acknowledged the diplomatic role played by the United States in easing the crisis.
Rabin’s remarks were contained in a Cabinet communique released last night. He cautioned, however, that not all of the Syrian forces have left the danger zone as yet and indicated that the Syrian presence in southern Lebanon would be one of the subjects discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance when he arrives here tomorrow.
Meanwhile, it was learned today that about half of the Syrian troops have left the Nabatiyeh area and have been replaced by a Lebanese security force. Israeli sources noted that they had made three demands on this issue. They were: the withdrawal of the Syrian troops, a time limit for the withdrawal and the entry of Lebanese troops to prevent the creation of a vacuum in the area.
In Israel, meanwhile, border settlements have organized into an Association of Confrontation Settlements to press for their specific needs in terms of their locations along the frontier. Among those joining the new group was the Arab village of Horfish.
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