Israeli enmity toward Lebanon unrelated to Gaza: Lebanese Minister
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The Israeli occupation has repeatedly waged wars on Lebanon, and its aggression is unrelated to Hezbollah's support of Gaza.
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Smoke rises from buildings hit in Israeli airstrikes in Tyre, Lebanon, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli occupation's aggression toward Lebanon is a chronic issue and not a mere reaction to Lebanon's support for the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza, Lebanese caretaker Culture Minister Mohammad Wissam al-Mortada told Al Mayadeen on Wednesday.
Al-Mortada stressed that Lebanon remains firm in its demand for a ceasefire and the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation. "The problem is not in Lebanon but within the Israeli occupation entity," he said.
He further asserted that Lebanon's official position is aligned with the Resistance on the ground, adding, "All pressure or intimidation will be futile." Al-Mortada noted that anyone truly concerned with the region's stability and preventing the war's escalation should work to impose a ceasefire on "Israel".
Commenting on Lebanon's past crises, Al-Mortada remarked, "The fabricated crises Lebanon has endured were aimed at making it fertile ground for the aggression we are witnessing today."
He also clarified that "the issue lies not with the Resistance but with this entity that has implanted a divisive and destructive agenda in our region."
Al-Mortada pointed out that Lebanon's National Accord Document explicitly outlines the government's duty and right to ensure readiness in dealing with Israeli aggression.
Future of ceasefire foggy
Informed sources told Al Mayadeen on Monday that the outcome of US envoy Amos Hochstein's visit to Beirut and the position of the United States regarding the end of "Israel's" aggression on Lebanon remains unclear until the true stance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is revealed.
Earlier on Monday, Axios reported, citing US and Israeli officials, that the Israeli occupation government submitted a document to the US Department last week outlining its conditions for a ceasefire to end the aggression on Lebanon and enable the return of displaced civilians.
The document was delivered by Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, on Thursday, ahead of Hochstein's visit to Beirut on Monday.
Israeli officials indicated that the document reflects key principles discussed with the Israeli Ministry of Security and the Israeli occupation forces, emphasizing what "Israel" demands in any diplomatic solution to end the war.
One of the demands includes Israeli 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 Resolution 1701, which mandates that the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) enforce a ceasefire between "Israel" and Hezbollah.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
