Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer revealed to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner that Israel is accelerating the development of a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, reports the Washington Post, citing three Israeli officials briefed on the meeting. The Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida was the first stop on Dermer’s U.S. tour on Sunday, ahead of his talks at the White House. “It is understood that Israel would offer something to Trump… that in January there will be an agreement regarding Lebanon,” an Israeli official told the Washington Post.
The plan provides for the withdrawal of Hezbollah beyond the Litani River. A source close to Hezbollah indicates that the organization would be ready to withdraw north of the river as part of a temporary ceasefire. The Lebanese army would then take control of the border area for an initial period of 60 days, under American and British supervision.
Discussions at Mar-a-Lago focused on a proposal involving Western and Russian cooperation. An Israeli military official specifies that in the event of failure of negotiations, plans to intensify ground operations in Lebanon are also in preparation.
The device would allow the IDF to intervene in the event of violations. A person close to Hezbollah emphasizes that “the condition for progress remains clear: Israel must be prohibited from carrying out operations on Lebanese territory.”
After Mar-a-Lago, Dermer met Monday and Tuesday with Biden administration officials in Washington, including Amos Hochstein, the president’s special envoy for Lebanon. A senior US official says Netanyahu remains engaged with the administration on the ceasefire process in Lebanon.
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