Lebanon and Hezbollah agree to US proposal for ceasefire with Israel - Reuters
Houthis (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Lebanon and Hezbollah have agreed to the US proposal for a ceasefire with Israel. However, some reservations were expressed regarding the details of the agreement, reports Reuters.
Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, stated that Lebanon sent a written response to the US Ambassador in Lebanon on Monday, while White House special envoy Amos Hochstein is heading to Beirut to continue the negotiations. Hezbollah, for its part, supported its long-time ally, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, in the efforts to negotiate a ceasefire.
"Lebanon presented its comments on the paper in a positive atmosphere. All the comments that we presented affirm the precise adherence to (U.N.) Resolution 1701 with all its provisions," Khalil said.
Reuters clarifies that he was referring to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the previous war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.
The conditions in the document require that Hezbollah not have a military presence in the area between the Lebanese-Israeli border and the Litani River, which flows approximately 30 kilometers north of the border.
Khalil stated that the success of the initiative now depends on Israel. He added that if the Israeli side does not want a resolution, it can create 100 problems.
Israel has long claimed that Resolution 1701 was never properly implemented, pointing to the presence of Hezbollah fighters and weapons along the border. Meanwhile, Lebanon has accused Israel of violations, including the flights of military aircraft in its airspace.
Khalil also stated that Israel is attempting to negotiate under fire, referring to the escalation of bombings in Beirut and the southern suburbs controlled by Hezbollah.
"This won't affect our position," the assistant to the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament added.
