Israel Cabinet (file photo)
There are many obstacles in the ceasefire to end the war between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, although the terms of the agreement appear to be ready. Let us tell you that earlier Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had given the green signal. But it is very important that there are still many obstacles. France has also played an important role in the ceasefire agreement. It has been supporting Lebanon and has put a lot of pressure on Israel regarding the ceasefire. There was a dispute between Netanyahu and Macro about this, because France had stopped supplying weapons to Israel.
The Israeli army has eliminated almost all of Hezbollah’s top leaders. But they continue to fire missiles at Israel. Thousands of Israelis who were expelled from the border months ago are pressing their government to help them return home. The world wants to avoid the spread of the regional conflict after more than a year of fighting.
Israel attacks central Beirut
Israel attacked central Beirut over the weekend, following a tour of the area by American mediators, and Hezbollah responded with its biggest attack in weeks, pushing for a deal. There has been almost daily gunfire between Israel and Hezbollah since October 7, 2023, the day after Hamas-led terrorists attacked Israel and started the war in Gaza. Israel carried out a massive bombing of Lebanon two months ago and then launched a ground attack.
More than 3,500 people have been killed in Lebanon, many of them civilians. More than 70 people have died in Israel, of which more than 40 are civilians. Additionally, more than 50 Israeli soldiers have been killed in ground attacks. A look at the proposal and the stuck points
two-month ceasefire
The proposal being discussed to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah calls for an initial two-month ceasefire, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence south of the southern border. . The withdrawal will also be accompanied by an influx of thousands of Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined during the war, to patrol the border area alongside existing UN peacekeepers.
Establishment of the International Committee
An international committee will be established to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was passed in 2006 to end a months-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, but which has never failed. fully implemented.
violation of airspace
Hezbollah never ended its presence in southern Lebanon, while Lebanon said Israel regularly violated its airspace and occupied small parts of its territory. It is unclear whether any new agreement will be implemented more successfully than the 2006 one.
I need to work on some problems.
Michael Herzog, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that the agreement aims to improve monitoring and implementation of the previous resolution. However, he stated that there are still some points to be finalized. The agreement is close and could be closed in a few days. A U.S. official said talks continued to move forward Sunday, but the sides still needed to resolve some outstanding issues to complete a deal.
Remove Hezbollah weapons from the border area.
Israel wants freedom to attack Hezbollah and other dissidents. Two Western diplomats described several points of contention to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing negotiations. He said Israel is seeking further guarantees to ensure that Hezbollah weapons are removed from the border area.
Freedom to attack in Lebanon
Israeli officials are concerned about the possibility of Hezbollah launching attacks similar to those carried out by Hamas from Gaza into southern Israel. They have said they will not accept a ceasefire agreement that clearly does not give them freedom to attack in Lebanon if they believe Hezbollah is violating it. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the issue remains a point of contention, although he said talks were moving in a positive direction.
Violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty
Lebanese officials have said that agreeing to such an agreement would violate Lebanon’s sovereignty. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has said the militant group will not accept a deal that does not lead to a complete and comprehensive end to aggression and does not protect Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Israel abandons its protest against France
Lebanon and Israel also disagree over which countries will be part of the international committee that will oversee the implementation of the agreement and Resolution 1701. Israel appears to have abandoned its hostility toward France, which has remained close to it since the end of colonial rule in Lebanon. However, it has recently had differences with Israel.
France will be part of the monitoring committee
On Monday, an official familiar with the talks said France would be part of the monitoring committee. The vice president of the Lebanese parliament, Elias Boussab, also said that Israel has accepted France. But Lebanon has refused to allow Britain, Israel’s close ally. It was unclear on Monday whether Lebanese officials had abandoned their opposition following Israel’s concession.
Impact on the war between Israel and Hamas
Meanwhile, diplomats said Israel does not want to engage in talks on 13 disputed border points under the ceasefire agreement. However, both sides have an interest in ending the war. The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s strongest armed proxies, is expected to largely calm regional tensions. However, it is unclear what impact this will have on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not accept a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ended, but has now abandoned that condition.
The war will spread to Syria and Iraq
One diplomat said there are fears that if a ceasefire is not reached, the war will spread to Syria and Iraq as Israel tries to cut off arms supplies to Hezbollah from Iran. Israel has carried out regular airstrikes against Iran-linked groups in Syria and has threatened attacks in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias have periodically launched drone strikes against Israel.
Violent clashes continue in southern Lebanon
The UN special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said during a visit to Damascus on Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon is vital to prevent Syria from being dragged further into the conflict. Analysts say Hezbollah has weakened but is continually firing at Israel. On Sunday, in response to deadly Israeli attacks in Beirut, Hezbollah fired some 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding seven people. Violent clashes continue in southern Lebanon as Israeli forces attempt to take control of strategic cities.
No deal before Trump takes office
Israel says its goal in the war with Hezbollah is to allow displaced Israelis to return home safely. In Lebanon, a quarter of the population has been displaced and parts of the country, particularly southern Lebanon and areas south of the capital Beirut, have been destroyed. In Lebanon, where officials and residents are eager for the war to end, an initial wave of optimism evaporated after Amos Hochstein, the Biden administration’s chief of staff for Israel and Lebanon, left the region without a deal last week. pass. Many people now believe that no deal will be reached before newly elected President Donald Trump takes office in January.
