Exclusive – Lebanon wants faster Israeli withdrawal and right to self-defense as part of truce

Lebanon is seeking to modify the US ceasefire proposal to ensure a faster withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon and give both sides the right to self-defense, a senior official said on Thursday. Lebanese manager.

Lebanese officials requested the changes during meetings in Beirut this week with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who is pushing for a deal in the final months of the Biden administration to end the war between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel.

The amendments requested by Lebanon, the details of which have not been previously reported, indicate that Hochstein still has work to do to seal a ceasefire agreement that he has said is “within our reach.” during a visit to Beirut on Tuesday.

The Lebanese official told Reuters that Lebanon wanted Israeli troops to “withdraw immediately after the ceasefire is declared so that the Lebanese army can deploy in all areas” and displaced people can return home. they.

The official added that the Israeli position was a withdrawal within 60 days of the truce announcement.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not immediately available to respond to Reuters questions regarding their position on the wording of the truce agreement.

Israel sent ground forces into southern Lebanon on October 1 as part of its stepped-up offensive against Hezbollah.

The official said the current draft agreement referred to a withdrawal from the “Lebanese borders” while Lebanon wanted a specific reference to the “Lebanese border” in order to ensure that Israeli troops would withdraw from the border in in whole and not in part.

Lebanon also requested that the proposal be worded in a way that preserves the right of both sides “to self-defense,” the Lebanese official said, without giving further details.

Israel insisted that even if a truce was reached, it would have the right to continue hitting Hezbollah. Israel’s foreign minister said Wednesday that his country wanted to “force” Hezbollah to stay away from southern Lebanon and not to introduce weapons into Lebanon by land, sea or airport.

The Lebanese official said the draft U.S. deal contained no provisions for continued Israeli strikes against Hezbollah and that Lebanon rejected any attack on its sovereignty.