Reply #2: Israel Begins Handover of Border Zone [View All]

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM Aug 31, 2006 (AP)— The Israeli army said Thursday that it has transferred control over a portion of the Israel-Lebanon border to Lebanese and international troops for the first time in two decades.

At the time of the cease-fire two weeks ago, which ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas, Israeli troops occupied a security zone 18 miles inside of Lebanon. It has been slowly transferring control of the region to arriving Lebanese and U.N. troops since then.

On Wednesday, the army gave up control of a small area of the border near the Israeli border town of Metulla, the army said. Israeli soldiers still patrolled other parts of the border.

The army did not say how many of its troops remained in Lebanon, but said it has evacuated more than two-thirds of the area south of the Litani.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2378388