JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army won't complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by the Jewish New Year holiday which begins at sundown Friday, said Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz Wednesday.

    The IDF chief's remark contradicts his earlier prediction made on Tuesday that all Israeli troops will come back home before the holiday starts.

    During a toast for the New Year, Halutz told reporters Wednesday that he hoped that the withdrawal would happen by Friday, but there is a need to continue dialogues in this regard with the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL until after the holiday.

    Halutz also revealed that 5,500 UN soldiers have arrived in southern Lebanon while additional soldiers were on their way to Lebanon, adding four brigades of the Lebanese army were also deployed in south Lebanon.

    Israeli forces have been gradually withdrawing from areas the army captured during a 34-daylong fight with Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas since a UN-brokered truce took effect on Aug.14. Enditem

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