Israel’s security cabinet will meet today to decide on a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon after just over a year of fighting between Israeli forces and the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah, Israeli media reported.
Under the agreement under consideration, the Israeli army would withdraw completely from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah would move heavy weapons north of the Litani River (25 kilometers from the Israeli border), and the Lebanese army would deploy in the area to ensure security in the border zone along with existing UN peacekeeping forces.
The initial transitional phase would last 60 days, with the United States leading a five-nation international monitoring commission that would arbitrate in the event of a breach of the agreement.
The United States has guaranteed support for Israeli military operations across the border if Hezbollah attacks or redeploys its forces south of the Litani River, the British daily The Guardian reported.
The conflict began on October 8 last year when Hezbollah fired rockets and missiles at Israeli border settlements in solidarity with the Palestinian Hamas, with which Israel had gone to war the day before in the Gaza Strip after Hamas attacked southern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is under domestic political pressure to agree to a deal that would allow some 60,000 Israelis from the border area to return to their homes. Their safe return is Israel’s main war goal in Lebanon.
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon said ceasefire talks were progressing, but insisted that Israel would retain the option to attack southern Lebanon based on any agreement.
Lebanese Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Boussab told Reuters there were no serious obstacles to the ceasefire starting to apply.
