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Saturday, November 16, 2024
US offer for Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire doesn’t give IDF freedom of movement in Lebanon — report
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Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has received a written proposal from the US for a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah terror group that does not include freedom of movement for IDF troops in Lebanon, Asharq al-Awsat reports.
Lebanon will reply to the US offer “very soon” with its reservations, according to the report from the London-based, Saudi-owned paper.
Berri, a Hezbollah ally who often serves as a conduit for diplomacy, is quoted as stressing, “There can be no undermining of our sovereignty.”
He reportedly met with US Ambassador Lisa Johnson last week to receive Washington’s first written proposal in at least several weeks.
The Axios news site reported yesterday that Israel is demanding a side letter from the US that includes guarantees from Washington that Israel will be allowed to take military action in Lebanon against Hezbollah if the terror group tries to re-establish its military presence along the border.
According to Asharq, Berri also voices opposition to the idea of forming a committee to implement UN Resolution 1701, which ended the last round of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 claiming that UNIFIL can do the job.
The 2006 UN 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.
Israel has repeatedly portrayed its offensive in southern Lebanon as essentially stepping in and doing UNIFIL’s job for it.
The Times of Israel Community.