Israel and Lebanon near crucial ceasefire agreement
Axios reported, citing sources within the US government, that Israel and Lebanon are close to reaching a ceasefire agreement, though formal approval hasn't yet been granted.
A senior US government official informed Axios that Israel and Lebanon are nearing an agreement, a statement that Israeli representatives have also confirmed. However, it's important to note that formal approval of the agreement hasn't been given yet.
The ceasefire is expected to be adopted by the Israeli security cabinet during Tuesday's meeting at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. However, as an Axios source points out, until then "things can always go wrong." Israeli media also report that the authorities of both countries have settled on the key points of the agreement, and the deal is close to being approved.
Government spokesman in Jerusalem, David Mencer, noted that "we are heading towards an agreement, but there are still a few issues to resolve." Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Hercog, added that "the agreement could be reached in the coming days."
The US plan and Hezbollah's role
The American proposal is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701 from 2006, which ended the previous conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The document includes, among other things, the withdrawal of Hezbollah from southern Lebanon. The US plan outlines several stages: cessation of hostilities, Hezbollah's withdrawal to the north of the country, Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, and negotiations regarding the border between Israel and Lebanon.
The agreement also involves strengthening the Lebanese army, which would take control of the country's south. An international body, overseen by the United States, would be created to monitor the entire process. Israel would receive a guarantee from the United States that, in the event of a threat, it could intervene against terrorist groups in Lebanon.
Negotiations and Hezbollah's change of stance
Hezbollah leader Naim Kasem announced that his organization has responded to the American proposal and is waiting for Israel's move. President Joe Biden's envoy, Amos Hochstein, led negotiations in Beirut and Jerusalem. According to the Times of Israel, Hochstein warned that this is the last chance to finalize the truce, and the Biden administration will not pursue further negotiations after January.
The most significant achievement of the negotiations is the shift in Hezbollah's stance, as it no longer demands linking the ceasefire in Lebanon with a halt to hostilities in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah began shelling Israel following the outbreak of the conflict in the Gaza Strip last autumn. Israel has been conducting air raids on Lebanon and a ground operation in the south of the country for two months, aiming to eliminate the threat from Hezbollah.
