BEIRUT, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops on Tuesday evening began withdrawing from areas around Ghajar, the last position occupied by Israeli forces in Lebanon since the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in this summer, Lebanese National News Agency reported.

    The Israeli troops withdrew from an area on the edge of the village, said the report, without giving any further details.

A Lebanese soldier clears mines at the fence along the border with Israel in Khiam valley in south Lebanon October 23, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    Israel's pullout came after a meeting between the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), senior officers from the Lebanese Army and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday.

    After the meeting, UNIFIL commander Major General Alain Pellegrini said the Israeli pullout was about to begin.

    In a UNIFIL statement, Pellegrini welcomed Israel's withdrawal from the area.

    The statement also said the Israeli army "is still present inside the northern part of the village of Ghajar and the immediate vicinity, inside the Lebanese territory."

    Pellegrini expressed his hope that a deal of Israeli full pullout would soon be reached.

    "I hope that we will reach an agreement very soon for full IDF withdrawal from the Lebanese territory, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701, including the northern part of Ghajar village," the general said.

    Meanwhile, in response to the UN announcement, Israeli army sources told local media on Tuesday that the IDF were not withdrawing from the Lebanese side of Ghajar.

    According to Ynet news website, the sources said that the Lebanese army took up positions north of Ghajar in accordance with the agreement between the IDF and the UN, but it is not the area that IDF forces are securing.

    The village of Ghajar, which straddles the Israeli-Lebanese border, is the last position occupied by Israeli forces since its soldiers left southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.

Lebanese president condemns Israeli air violations

    BEIRUT, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Emile Lahoud condemned on Thursday Israel for its violations to his country's air-space and described the violations as a challenge to the international law.

    "Israel's persistence on violating Lebanese air-space is an attack on Lebanon and a breach of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701," Lahoud said in a presidential statement. Full Story