The leader of Lebanese Hezbollah delivered a combative speech on Wednesday, warning that Israel could not impose its conditions for a ceasefire in the war in Lebanon, where US envoy Amos Hochstein held negotiations before traveling to Israel.
The United States and France are increasing efforts aimed at obtaining a truce in this conflict between the powerful pro-Iranian movement and Israel.
Hezbollah opened a front against Israel the day after the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023 which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip, saying it was acting in support of the Palestinian Islamist movement.
The Lebanese movement and the Israeli army entered into open war on September 23, and the Israeli army has been carrying out incursions into southern Lebanon since September 30.
The American ambassador to Beirut, Lisa Johnson, presented to the Lebanese authorities last week a 13-point plan providing for a 60-day truce and the deployment of the army in southern Lebanon, one of Hezbollah’s strongholds.
“Progress” ?
Arriving in Beirut on Tuesday, Mr. Hochstein reported “additional progress” on Wednesday after discussions with the President of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, who liaises with Hezbollah. He is expected later today in Israel.
Israel “cannot impose its conditions on us”, warned the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah Naïm Qassem in a pre-recorded speech.
| © Al-Manar/AFP Screenshot of a televised speech on Hezbollah channel, Al-Manar TV, showing the leader of the Lebanese movement, Naim Qassem, giving a speech on November 20, 2024 |
He added that Hezbollah demanded “a total cessation of aggression” in Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy cannot penetrate whenever it wants” into Lebanese territory in the event of a ceasefire, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Monday that Israel “will carry out military operations” against Hezbollah even in the event of a truce.
And Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Wednesday that any agreement should allow his country “freedom of action” against Hezbollah.
Mr. Qassem further warned that his movement would target “the center of Tel Aviv”, in response to recent Israeli strikes on the capital Beirut.
On Wednesday, the official Lebanese news agency (ANI) reported “violent clashes” in the south of the country, and added that Israeli forces were trying to “advance towards the hills of Kfarchouba” under intense artillery cover. and aviation. Hezbollah announced that it had carried out several attacks in northern Israel.
| © AFP Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of a colleague during his funeral in Jerusalem, November 20, 2024 |
Violence between Israel and Hezbollah has left more than 3,540 dead since October 2023, most since the start of the massive Israeli bombing campaign on September 23. On the Israeli side, 79 soldiers and 46 civilians were killed in 13 months.
Israel says it wants to distance Hezbollah from the border regions of southern Lebanon to allow the return of some 60,000 residents of northern Israel displaced by the movement’s fire. In Lebanon, tens of thousands of residents have also been displaced.
The Lebanese army announced on Wednesday the death of a soldier in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, bringing to 18 the number of its soldiers killed since September 23.
The Israeli army assured that it was fighting against Hezbollah and not against the Lebanese army.
American veto
| | © AFP Smoke rises above a site hit by an Israeli bombing in the village of Khiam, southern Lebanon, on November 20, 2024, amid war between Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel |
France stressed on Tuesday the need to “respect resolution 1701” of the UN Security Council which marked the end of the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
This resolution stipulates that only the Lebanese army and the Blue Helmets must be deployed on the southern border of Lebanon, implying a withdrawal of the Hezbollah sector, but also that of Israeli soldiers from Lebanese territory.
The situation in the Middle East has heated up since the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 in Israel, which resulted in the death of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data. , including hostages killed or died in captivity.
That day, 251 people were kidnapped. In total, 97 remain hostages in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the army.
| | © AFP Palestinians mourn the body of a Civil Defense member, killed in a nighttime strike, at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, November 20, 2024 |
In retaliation, the Israeli army launched a massive bombing campaign followed by a ground offensive in Gaza, which left at least 43,985 dead, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas Ministry of Health, deemed reliable by the UN.
On Wednesday, at least 17 people, including a baby and a teenager, were killed in the Palestinian territory in new raids by the Israeli army, the local Civil Defense announced.
| | © AFP Doctors from the World Health Organization and the Palestinian Red Crescent prepare to leave in a convoy from the European Hospital in Khan Younes, southern Gaza, to evacuate patients and injured people, November 20, 2024 |
The Israeli army, for its part, reported the death of one of its soldiers in fighting in the north.
The United States on Wednesday prevented the UN Security Council from calling for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza, a new veto in support of their Israeli ally. Hamas subsequently accused Washington of being “directly responsible” for a “genocidal war” in Gaza.
While the humanitarian situation in Gaza is very serious, the Jordanian army announced on Wednesday that it had sent eight helicopters loaded with seven tons of aid.
