JERUSALEM (CNN)October 1, 2006 — United Nations peacekeepers Sunday denied Israel’s assertion that it had completely withdrawn all of its soldiers from southern Lebanon.UNIFIL spokesman Alexander Ivanko told CNN Israeli troops still control the border village of Ghajar.

Israeli military sources had previously said the final phase of withdrawal took place on Sunday, when the last Israeli soldier withdrew.When asked about the UNIFIL report, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed its forces are still operating near Ghajar and will continue to do so "until IDF, UNIFIL and the Lebanese army come to an agreement regarding the security arrangements in the area" Israel had already withdrawn most of the 10,000 troops that entered Lebanon during the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which began July 12 when Hezbollah.

Israeli media had been reporting on Friday that the last Israeli forces would leave before the start of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement, on Sunday night. Yom Kippur is one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar.The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah generally ceased after the August 14 passage of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which called for an international force in southern Lebanon.

daily star, sept 30, BEIRUT: More help from UN member states is needed to advance the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, the head of the UN probe, Serge Brammertz, said on Friday. Briefing the UN Security Council on his second report, which was issued Monday, Brammertz said the investigations have progressed but that there should be "continued backing" from the international community for the probe. He said that so far, most of the member states that the UN has asked for help or information have responded in a timely fashion, including Syria, whose cooperation Brammertz called "generally satisfactory."

Syria’s UN Ambassador, Bashar al-Jaafari, told the council Friday that the UN probe under Brammertz was being conducted "in a professional manner" and should be given "time and the necessary resources" to establish the truth without "politicization and false hypotheses." He said Damascus was fully committed to cooperate "as long as the investigation continues to be professional." As for the path of investigations and results reached, Brammertz said the UN probe "is satisfied with the progress made … but it still needs help and full support from UN member states on technical, legal and judicial matters relevant to the investigation."