Israel Remains Optimistic as Cease-Fire Proposal for Lebanon is Considered
The U.S. envoy, Amos Hochstein, expressed hope of reaching a deal after meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu following a meeting in Beirut. U.S. leaders are optimistic about a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hezbollah as the Biden administration pushes for progress.
Hochstein visited Beirut to meet with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and is set to meet with Netanyahu on Nov. 20. Hezbollah authorized Berri to negotiate on its behalf.
Lebanon is seeking an end to the conflict caused by Israel’s offensive in September, while Israel aims to stop the continuous rocket attacks from Hezbollah following their support of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 massacre.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz outlined conditions for any settlement, including the preservation of intelligence capabilities and the right to protect Israeli citizens from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah responded positively to Hochstein’s proposal, which would involve both Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces pulling back from a U.N. buffer zone in southern Lebanon under the protection of additional U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanese troops.
There are concerns in Israel that agreeing to a cease-fire with Lebanon might mean giving up important achievements and risking future rounds of conflict. Israeli reservists emphasized the establishment of a security zone within Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah rearming and fortifying.
Hezbollah Chief Naim Qassem stated that a cease-fire depends on Israel’s response and seriousness. Lebanese terrain advantages Hezbollah, allowing them to maintain a line of sight into Israel from a distance.
Challenges ahead involve the potential rearmament of Hezbollah and the threat of rocket attacks, with Israel taking precautions against future conflicts despite the ongoing negotiations.
The pending negotiations refer to the Taif Agreement, which ended the Lebanese civil war in 1989 but didn’t require Hezbollah’s disarmament. Any demilitarization agreement involving UNIFIL may face skepticism from Israel due to past failures in monitoring Hezbollah activity.
