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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon must include the right for Israel to act militarily against Hezbollah if necessary. This demand risks being perceived by the Lebanese government as an attack on its sovereignty, further complicating efforts to end more than a year of confrontations which degenerated into open war in September.
Israeli conditions for a deal
In a statement, Israel Katz stressed the importance of Israel preserving its intelligence capacity and its right to protect its citizens against Hezbollah. “The condition for any political settlement in Lebanon is the preservation of intelligence capacity and the right to act to protect the citizens of Israel,” he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also stressed that any agreement must guarantee Israel “freedom of action” against Hezbollah in the event of violations. “In any agreement we make, we will have to maintain the freedom to act,” he told foreign ambassadors before US envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel.
Mediation efforts and the role of Resolution 1701
Lebanese officials, while indirectly negotiating between Israel and Hezbollah, are calling for a return to UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This resolution, adopted after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, stipulates the withdrawal of the armed forces of both sides from a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, under the supervision of the Lebanese armed forces and UNIFIL troops.
Amos Hochstein, who has been leading efforts for several months to achieve a ceasefire, met on Wednesday with the President of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah. At the end of this second meeting, Hochstein declared that “additional progress” had been made, while remaining discreet on the blocking points.
A heavy human toll
Since the start of the clashes, Lebanon has recorded more than 3,500 dead and 15,000 injuredaccording to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The fighting also caused the displacement of nearly 1.2 million peopleor a quarter of the country’s population.
On the Israeli side, attacks carried out by Hezbollah using rockets, drones and missiles caused the deaths of 87 soldiers et 50 civiliansincluding some foreign workers.
A climate of persistent tensions
Israeli demands to maintain a right of military action complicate diplomatic efforts to establish a lasting truce. The question of Lebanese sovereignty and international commitments, in particular those linked to resolution 1701, remains at the center of the negotiations. As Amos Hochstein prepares to continue his talks in Israel, the prospects for an agreement remain uncertain.
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