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

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

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

กก 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.