Daijiworld Media Network - Beirut
Beirut, Oct 8: Two months after Israeli troops withdrew from the southern Lebanese village of West Zawtar under a US-backed plan for a gradual military pullback, residents say the pilot project has failed to deliver the promised security and normal life.
Sixty-seven-year-old Mariam al-Yaghi returned to West Zawtar in July to find her home badly damaged. A tank shell had struck the upper floor, blowing out its windows, while another shell pierced the roof of her water tank and turned the water inside red. With repairs expensive, she has covered the broken windows with cardboard.
From her home, al-Yaghi can still see Israeli military vehicles operating in the neighbouring village, which remains under Israeli control. She said Israeli soldiers are close enough at night for her to hear their voices, while a small surveillance drone frequently follows her as she works in her garden.
"We hear them all the time from that house over there with the tile roof. We hear their voices yelling, the tanks when they move this way and that way. We hear all of that. They're very close to us, but we're sitting here and we're not scared. Never," she told Reuters.
West Zawtar was the first test of a US-backed "pilot zone" plan under which Israel would gradually withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon in return for the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group. Israeli troops withdrew from the village in July, but two months later no additional pilot zones have been agreed.
The Israeli military told Reuters that efforts to eliminate the threat posed by Hezbollah weapons had not been completed. It said drones were being used to identify threats and restrictions on villagers' movement were intended to protect Israeli troops.
A US State Department spokesperson said the pilot-zone process was the "only viable path" to security for both Lebanon and Israel. The spokesperson said the zone would expand after the Lebanese army completed clearance operations in the initial area and that Hezbollah's disarmament was an integral part of the process.
The situation reflects the difficulties surrounding the wider ceasefire and negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. More than a million Lebanese people were displaced after Israel launched air strikes and a ground invasion seven months ago following Hezbollah attacks on Israel in support of Iran.
Although a US-brokered ceasefire was agreed in June, Israeli forces continue to operate inside a self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon. Israeli strikes have also continued, while dozens of Lebanese villages remain affected by military operations and demolitions.
Residents of West Zawtar said their return was bittersweet. While they were relieved to be home, many found their houses damaged or destroyed and Israeli forces still operating nearby.
Only a small number of residents have returned so far. Tank tracks cut through al-Yaghi's garden, while olive trees she had cultivated for decades were uprooted. With the olive harvest beginning, she said she was eager to collect whatever remained.
Residents whose olive groves are close to Israeli military positions have been seeking access through a US-led coordination mechanism between the Lebanese and Israeli militaries. Some have questioned why they need Washington's permission to harvest their own olives, while others fear that approval could come too late for the harvest.
Nearby East Zawtar remains occupied by Israeli troops, who residents say have been systematically demolishing parts of the village. Displaced residents have gathered in West Zawtar's main square, where they can see their former homes across a valley of olive groves and farmland.
One displaced resident told Reuters that lights had been visible in his home in East Zawtar for several weeks and that he believed Israeli troops could be preparing to demolish it.
"You try not to be upset, because it's happened to so many people. But all it takes is one memory from the house, and you break down," he said.
West Zawtar Mayor Abed Ezzedine said the pilot-zone programme had not succeeded because basic public services, particularly electricity and running water, remained largely unavailable.
"In principle, I can tell you that no, it's not successful. Based on what we were promised: that West Zawtar as a pilot zone would be a model town," Ezzedine told Reuters.
Around 70 families have returned, mostly occupying undamaged sections of their homes. For many, returning was considered a better option than paying rent elsewhere or remaining in displacement shelters.
The Lebanese state's Council for the South has supplied 16 prefabricated houses for families whose homes were uninhabitable. However, most remain unused because electricity and water connections are still unavailable.
Workers have begun extending electricity lines to the village, but the work has had to be rerouted to a new station because the old connection passed through East Zawtar.
The continued presence of Israeli surveillance drones has also added to residents' concerns. Ezzedine told Reuters that the drones were constantly monitoring the area.
During a Reuters visit, a small surveillance drone flew over the mayor and reporters, gradually descending to only a few metres above them before hovering for several minutes and then moving towards the Israeli-occupied neighbouring village.
The experience of West Zawtar has become a test of whether the US-backed pilot-zone approach can provide a workable path towards an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon while addressing Israel's security concerns and Hezbollah's weapons. For residents, however, the return home has so far brought damaged homes, disrupted services and continued military surveillance rather than a return to normal life.