Lebanon’s Deputy Speaker of parliament, Elias Bou Saab, has disclosed that there are “no serious obstacles” left to begin the implementation of a US-proposed, 60-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
Bou Saab said that the proposal included a 60-day timeline for Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory, giving time for the Lebanese army to deploy in southern Lebanon.
He noted that one sticking point on who would monitor the ceasefire had been resolved in the past 24 hours by agreeing to set up a five-country committee, including France and chaired by the United States.
A Lebanese official and Western diplomat divulged that the US had informed Lebanese officials a ceasefire could be announced “within hours.”
The Western diplomat said that another main sticking point had been the sequencing of Israel’s withdrawal, the Lebanese army’s deployment and the return of displaced Lebanese to their homes in southern Lebanon.
Similarly, the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said that a ceasefire deal that would end the fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon had not been finalised, but was close. “We haven’t finalised it yet, but we are moving forward,” Danon said, after news outlets reported that a deal had been agreed.
Danon gave details on what he said a ceasefire deal would look like, saying that Israel had learned lessons from its 2006 war with Hezbollah.
“We will make sure we will have the ability to neutralise any threat from southern Lebanon.
“I hope the Lebanese army will take care of that in the future. But if they fail again, we will be there.”
Danny Danon
Danon also said that the UN’s peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, would stay there following any deal.
“We would coordinate with UNIFIL, and I expect they would be more effective this time. We don’t expect them to fight, but we expect them to report.”
Danny Danon
However, an unnamed senior Israeli official told a news agency that Israel’s security cabinet would convene on Tuesday to approve a Lebanon ceasefire deal.
Also, German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock said on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Italy that the momentum on Lebanon ceasefire talks seems to have picked up and they were now closer than they were a few days or weeks ago.
“We are currently discussing with our partners from the Gulf States and the Arab world how we can, in this situation, at least perhaps resolve one of the major challenges, the situation in Lebanon, and finally achieve a ceasefire.
“The momentum now seems to be closer than it was a few days or even a few weeks ago.”
Annalena Baerbock
Israeli Foreign Minister Says Lebanon Ceasefire Hinges On Enforcement
Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar stated that the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon would hinge on enforcement that would keep Hezbollah disarmed and away from the border.
Saar said in the Israeli parliament, “The test for any agreement will be one, not in words or phrasing, but in enforcement only of the two main points.”
“The first is preventing Hezbollah from moving southward beyond the Litani [River], and the second, preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its force and rearming in all of Lebanon.”
Gideon Saar
However, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X, “An agreement with Lebanon is a big mistake,” following reports in Israeli and US media that a deal to stop the war between Hezbollah and Israel is closer than ever.
“A historic missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah. I understand all the constraints and reasons, and it is still a grave mistake. … Precisely now, when Hezbollah is beaten and longs for a cease-fire, it is forbidden to stop.
“As I warned before in Gaza, I warn now as well: Mr. Prime Minister – it is not too late to stop this agreement! We must continue until the absolute victory!”
Itamar Ben-Gvir
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