From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Report: Hochstein didn’t ask for changes to UN Resolution 1701 in Lebanon meetings
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US special envoy Amos Hochstein and Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri have agreed on a draft agreement for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that is based on UN Resolution 1701, the Saudi Al-Arabiya network report.
Citing unnamed sources, the report says Hochstein didn’t request amendments to the 2006 resolution during his meeting in Lebanon this week.
Berri, a Hezbollah ally, told Al-Arabiya last week that Hochstein’s visit was “the last chance before the US elections” to reach a truce and said he would reject any amendments to 1701.
UN Resolution 1701, which ended the last round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, calls for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.
The resolution has gone largely unenforced since it was passed, allowing Hezbollah to build up a formidable arms cache and defensive capabilities, with neither UNIFIL peacekeepers nor the LAF willing to challenge the Iran-backed terror group.
Today’s Al-Arabiya report says Hochstein is waiting for Israel’s response to the proposal.
In Beirut earlier this week, Hochstein said that Lebanon and Israel just committing to Resolution 1701 would not be enough and that the United States was working to devise a formula to end the conflict once and for all.
The Times of Israel Community.