Benyamin Netanyahu has no intention of easing the pressure on Hezbollah. On Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem warned thatIsrael will “carry out operations” against the pro-Iranian movement, even in the event of a truce agreement in the Lebanon.
“The most important thing is not (what is on) paper if there is an (agreement) but the fact that we will have the obligation, in order to ensure security in the north (of Israel), to systematically carry out operations against possible attacks by the Hezbollaheven after a ceasefire,” Benyamin Netanyahu told parliament.
Preventing the “strengthening” of Hezbollah
There is no proof that this agreement will be respected” by Hezbollah, added the Prime Minister, referring to “not only operations in response to attacks, but also the strengthening of Hezbollah”. [du Hezbollah] but also operations to prevent [son] reinforcement”. “We will not allow Hezbollah to return to the situation it was in on October 6,” 2023, on the eve of the start of the war between Israel and Lebanon. Hamas in the Gaza Strip. By October 8, 2023, Hezbollah had unleashed almost daily fire on northern Israel, in support of its Palestinian ally.
The US ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, submitted a proposal for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel to Lebanese officials on Thursday. “Lebanon is very positive about this proposal,” said an official monitoring the negotiations on Monday, stressing that Beirut was currently finalizing its “remarks” before transmitting its response to the United States.
A ceasefire still a long way off
For its part, Israel, which insists that any eventual agreement must guarantee Hezbollah’s distance from the Israeli-Lebanese border, is blowing hot and cold over a ceasefire. Press leaks have indicated that the Hebrew state is demanding that it be allowed to continue its strikes against Hezbollah after a ceasefire, which a Lebanese official deemed unacceptable last week.
Our dossier on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The text of the American initiative has not been revealed, but it includes a ceasefire and full implementation of Resolution 1701, according to Lebanese officials. This resolution, which calls for a cessation of hostilities on both sides, helped end the previous war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.