JERUSALEM, Nov. 9 (JTA) – A group of Israeli lawmakers have thrown their support to a new movement that will lobby for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “Unnecessary blood is being spilled in Lebanon, and we are here today put an end to it,” Labor Knesset member Yossi Beilin told a news conference Sunday in Tel Aviv. The movement, which merged with “Four Mothers,” a grassroots group of mothers of Israeli soldiers who are demanding that the army pull out of the security zone. Along with Beilin, the new movement also includes Knesset members Haim Ramon and Nissim Zvilli of Labor, Naomi Hazan and Dedi Zucker of Meretz and Zvi Weinberg of Yisrael Ba’Aliyah. It comes at a time of renewed debate in Israel over the wisdom of a continued Israeli military presence in southern Lebanon. The debate was prompted by an ever-mounting toll of Israeli casualties there this year. More than 40 Israelis have died in Lebanon since the beginning of the year. Defenders of the policy say it is necessary to protect Israel’s northern settlements until a political agreement is reached. Critics of the policy have argued that it only leads to more casualties. Beilin stressed that the movement’s purpose was not to lobby for an Israeli pullout at all costs. He said the Israel Defense Force should not withdraw from southern Lebanon “in a panic, in shock or in hysteria.” He said there must be an organized plan which would provide security for settlements on the northern Israeli border, as well as provisions for the South Lebanon Army, Israel’s ally in the region. The group’s platform states that Israel should declare its intent to redeploy along the international border with Lebanon and set up an electronic fence along the border to ensure the safety of the northern settlements. At the same time, Israel would inform the Lebanese government that it would be held responsible for the situation in the southern part of its territory and that Israel will respond fully if hostile actions are launched from Lebanese territory. Israel would also make clear to Syria and Iran that it would hold them responsible for any hostile activities they support.
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