4 Israelis suspected of illegal entry into south Lebanon arrested

Israeli police announced on Thursday that they had arrested four Israelis suspected of illegally entering Lebanese territory, reports Haaretz, without disclosing where or when the suspects had entered Lebanon. The police announcement came after the Israeli army confirmed on Wednesday that it had “evacuated” Israeli civilians in the vicinity of Maroun al-Ras in early December.

Following their arrest by the Israeli army, the four suspects were transferred to the Kiryat Shmona police station for questioning, adds the Israeli media.

On Wednesday, an Israeli army spokesperson, quoted by several media including Haaretz, confirmed that Israelis had entered Lebanese territory in early December without authorization, and had to be evacuated by Israeli soldiers. The settlers, members of an organization campaigning for the colonization of southern Lebanon, had entered Lebanese territory on Dec. 5, and had set up tents in the vicinity of Maroun al-Ras (in the Bint Jbeil district), just a few meters from the Blue Line. At the time, the army denied that these civilians had crossed the border, barely a week after the cease-fire came into effect on Nov. 27.