JERUSALEM - Israeli forces will leave Lebanon by Friday in time for the Jewish new year, army chief Dan Halutz was quoted as saying Tuesday, closing the curtain on a two-month presence in the war-battered south.

Halutz told parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee "he hoped the last troops will leave southern Lebanon by the eve of Rosh Hashana (which takes place on Saturday)," according to a parliament official.

Israeli forces have remained in southern Lebanon for more than a month after an August 14 ceasefire came into effect ending the 34-day deadly war between the Jewish state and Shiite guerrillas Hezbollah.

Israeli troops have gradually redeployed south of the volatile border as French-led international forces, under a UN mandate, and the Lebanese army assume control in southern Lebanon -- the latter for the first time.

A military source told AFP that officers met UN representatives in southern Lebanon on Tuesday to discuss the remaining handover.

Halutz, who has been pilloried at home for perceived failures of the war, told members of the committee that thousands of troops from France, India, Italy and Spain were already fully deployed in southern Lebanon.

German navy forces were also patrolling Lebanon's coast, Halutz said.

A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel intended to leave southern Lebanon once conditions agreed with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, mainly the deployment of 5,000 international troops, were met.

"If the army tells us that these conditions have been met, the prime minister will give the go-ahead for the final withdrawal of the Israeli forces," Miri Eisin said.

According to the Israeli army, troops have so far pulled back from over 80 percent of the territory it once controlled, and are currently concentrated in a narrow strip along Lebanon's border with Israel.

A military source said a full Israeli withdrawal was made possible after the army this week finished rebuilding an electronic border fence which was demolished during the war to allow armoured vehicles to cross into Lebanon.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Israeli troops were to withdraw from territory occupied during a massive offensive that began on July 12 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers during a cross-border raid.

Halutz was quoted as telling the parliamentary committee that Hezbollah "has been thoroughly respecting the ceasefire agreement" and that its guerrillas refrain from carrying weapons and wearing uniform in the open.

He did, however, reportedly accuse Syria of being "reluctant to accept resolution 1701" and said Lebanese and international forces are yet to deploy along the Syrian border to prevent arms being transferred to Hezbollah.

Israel has launched a beefed-up government inquiry into the conduct of the war after widespread public pressure to investigate the offensive that failed to halt Hezbollah rocket attacks or retrieve the two captured soldiers.

During the fighting, more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were killed.

Although Israel has said it will complete its withdrawal once there are at least 5,000 UNIFIL troops on the ground, Hezbollah has said its definition of withdrawal includes the Shebaa Farms.

The Jewish state captured the small but strategic patch of land at the juncture of Lebanon, Israel and Syria, from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and Beirut now claims it with the consent of Damascus.

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