Biden's advisors to visit 'Israel' for Lebanon deal: Axios

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
30 Oct 2024 08:50

Israeli and US officials claim a ceasefire could be established in Lebanon within weeks, but forget Hezbollah's main demand, which is to stop the war on Gaza.

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Amos Hochstein, a senior advisor to President Joe Biden, speaks during a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon, on October 21, 2024. (AP)

Two of Biden's senior advisors arrive in "Israel" on Thursday to discuss and possibly close a deal that would end the war with Lebanon, allowing both northern settlers and southern Lebanese civilians to return to their homes, three informed sources told Axios.

According to Axios, if Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk are able to establish a ceasefire deal between "Israel" and Lebanon, tensions in the Middle East would largely de-escalate for the first time since October 2023.

This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a cabinet meeting alongside senior officials, military leaders, and intelligence services to discuss a potential deal with Lebanon.

While Hochstein was waiting for word back from the Israelis before making his visit, the fact that McGurk is part of the delegation indicates that Netanyahu is considering striking a deal with Hezbollah.

Israeli and US officials claim that the series of blows Hezbollah saw over the past year, particularly throughout September, including the assassination of Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, could encourage the Lebanese Resistance to disengage from Hamas and Gaza.

However, it is worth noting that Hezbollah particularly stressed that operations at the northern front would not cease unless a ceasefire in Gaza is achieved, asserting that the southern and northern fronts will remain linked until the Israelis yield to the Resistance's demands.

'Israel's demands violate Lebanese sovereignty'

In mid-October, the Israeli occupation government submitted a document to the US Department outlining its conditions for a ceasefire to end the war in Lebanon and enable the return of displaced civilians, Axios reported, citing US and Israeli officials.

One of the demands includes Israeli Occupation Forces' engagement along the border to ensure "active enforcement" that prevents the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon from rebuilding military infrastructure in southern Lebanon near the border, an Israeli official told Axios.

Another demand is for "Israel" to have the freedom to operate in Lebanese airspace, which would constitute a blatant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty.

These two demands contradict UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mandates that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) enforce a ceasefire between "Israel" and Hezbollah.