Senior US officials have returned to the Middle East to try to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said negotiators made “good progress” on Thursday on a potential deal.
Brett McGurk, President Biden’s Middle East coordinator, and Amos Hochstein, who led negotiations in the conflict with Hezbollah, are in Israel to negotiate with the country’s authorities, although it is unclear whether they can whether any progress has been made against the US or not. presidential election next week.
Since the conflict escalated five weeks ago, Israel has carried out widespread air strikes across Lebanon and ground attacks in areas near the border.
According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, at least 2,200 people have died in the country and 1.2 million have been displaced, mostly Shia Muslims, increasing sectarian tensions and putting further pressure on services. The public sector is facing difficulties after many years of serious economic crisis.
The Israeli government says its goal is to change the security situation along the border and ensure the return of some 60,000 residents who have been displaced by rocket, missile and drone attacks. Hezbollah driver.
On Wednesday, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan published what it said was a draft agreement, written by Washington and dated Saturday, on an initial 60-day ceasefire.
Israel will withdraw its forces from Lebanon within the first week of the agreement and the Lebanese army will be deployed along the border. During the pause, Hezbollah will end its armed presence in the area.
The goal is to pave the way for the full implementation of United Nations Resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.
The document, among other things, calls for the removal of all armed groups, including Hezbollah, from the area south of the Litani River, 30km (20 miles) north of the border. Only the United Nations peacekeeping force known as Unifil and the Lebanese army are allowed there.
However, Israel is not confident that the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will be able to keep Hezbollah away from the border, reportedly wanting to be empowered to attack the group if necessary after the war ends. end. This request will likely be rejected by the Lebanese government, who believe that Resolution 1701 should not be changed.
When asked about the document reported by Kan, White House national security spokesman Sean Savett said there were “many reports and drafts in circulation” that “do not reflect the current status of negotiations.” However, he did not answer the question of whether that text would be the basis for further negotiations.
On Thursday, commenting on the negotiations, Secretary Blinken said progress had been made in mutual understanding of the resolution’s requirements.
“It is important to ensure that we have clarity, both from Lebanon and Israel, on what will be required under 1701 to effectively implement it,” he said at a news conference. .
Hezbollah, a powerful political party and militia that is armed and financially supported by Iran, faces domestic pressure for a deal, especially from critics who say the group has manipulated Lebanon into a conflict that is not in the country’s interests.
Israeli bombardments killed most of Hezbollah’s leaders, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallahand caused widespread destruction to areas of southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the group held power.
The group began its campaign the day after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 last year and has long said its attacks would continue unless there was a ceasefire in Gaza. It is unclear whether it is willing to change its stance.
On Wednesday, Naim Qassem gave his first speech as the new secretary general of Hezbollah, in which he said the group would continue its war plans under his leadership, but could agree an agreement within certain terms. So far, he said, Israel has not put forward any proposals that could be discussed.
When he said, Israel conducted heavy air strikes on the historic city of Baalbekin the Bekaa Valley, which could indicate an expansion of the military campaign against the group in a strategically important area near the border with Syria.
Hours later, in an interview with Lebanese television station Al Jazeed, Mr. Mikati said he became “cautiously optimistic” after a phone call with Mr. Hochstein, who visited Lebanon last week, said a ceasefire was possible in “the next few hours or days”. .
However, it remains unclear whether any agreement can be reached before the US presidential election on Tuesday, with reports suggesting that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is waiting for the results of the vote before decision.
Violence continued on Thursday, with rocket attacks by Hezbollah killing seven people in Israel – the deadliest day in the country since the conflict escalated – while attacks by Israel killed six medical workers in southern Lebanon.
US officials are also trying to reach a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The White House said CIA director William Burns will travel to Cairo on Thursday for talks.
