Israeli Cabinet Approves Lebanon Pullback by July

Israel's cabinet voted unanimously Sunday to withdraw Israeli troops from south Lebanon by July, still preferably under an agreement with Lebanese powerbroker Syria.

�� A cabinet statement said that the Israeli Defense Forces will deploy on the border with Lebanon by July.

�� The statement said that the government will act to ensure that this deployment is carried out within the framework of an agreement with Syria.

�� Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak would prefer to seal a peace deal with Syria before withdrawing troops from south Lebanon, fearing that a unilateral withdrawal will expose northern Israel to the attacks of Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

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