Israel to U.S.: We're ready to consider leaving northern Ghajar

         Israel told the United States on Sunday it was prepared to withdraw from the northern part of Ghajar on the Lebanese border, a change in its policy for the past year and a half of not wanting to discuss the issue. A government source in Jerusalem said the decision was made after the Lebanese government delivered written assurances that UNIFIL would be given security and civilian control over the northern part of the village, which is in Lebanese territory. "The Americans have been asking us for a long time to move ahead on the Lebanon issue and after receiving the letter, it was decided to show a more positive stance," the source also said, referring to the written assurances by Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces Planning Branch and the Northern Command are now at work on the details of the withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar.Ghajar, located between the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights, was annexed to Israel in 1981 together with the Golan Heights, and its inhabitants received Israeli citizenship. After the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, the UN determined that the border between Israel and Syria crossed the village, and that Israel, which holds the Golan Heights, could operate only in the southern part of the village. However, according to the UN, the IDF frequently operates in the northern part of the village, beyond the international border. In recent years the village has become a center for smuggling and infiltration of criminal elements from Lebanon to Israel, along with Hezbollah agents. According to Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War, Israel was to have withdrawn its forces from the northern part of Ghajar. In March 2007, the security cabinet approved a deal whereby the IDF would cease its operations in the northern part of the village, giving the UN and Lebanese army forces responsibility for security and leaving civilian affairs in Israel's hands. However, Beirut did not implement the agreement, among other things because of its political crisis. Israel has since refused to discuss the matter and conditioned agreement on a written pledge by the Lebanese government to a new arrangement. (10,01)