American mediators are working on a proposal to gradually curb hostilities between Israel‘s army and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, starting with a 60-day ceasefire, two sources with knowledge of the talks told Reuters today.
The sources—one with knowledge of the talks and a senior diplomatic source working on matters related to Lebanon—stated that the two-month period would be used to finalize the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, to ensure that southern Lebanon remains free of any weapons not controlled by the Lebanese state.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Resolution 1701 forms the cornerstone of the discussions to end the recent fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which has escalated dramatically over the past five weeks amid the Gaza war.
U.S. Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein, who is working on the new proposal, stated to reporters in Beirut earlier this month that better enforcement mechanisms are needed, as neither Israel nor Lebanon has fully implemented the resolution.
The senior diplomatic source and the source familiar with the talks told Reuters that the two-month ceasefire replaced a proposal last month from the United States and other countries that called for a 21-day ceasefire before full implementation of Resolution 1701.
However, both warned that the agreement may fail. “There is a serious push to achieve a ceasefire, but it’s still challenging to ensure its implementation,” the diplomatic source said.
The person familiar with the talks said Israel continues to insist on its right to “direct enforcement” of the ceasefire through airstrikes or other military operations against Hezbollah if it violates the agreement.
Israeli television network Channel 12 reported that Israel is seeking a strengthened version of UN Resolution 1701 to allow intervention if it feels its security is threatened.
Lebanon has not yet been formally informed of the proposal and is unable to comment on its details, Lebanese officials stated.
The push for a ceasefire in Lebanon comes just days before the U.S. presidential elections and alongside a similar diplomatic effort for Gaza.
Axios reported that Hochstein and U.S. Presidential Advisor Brett McGurk are arriving in Israel on Thursday as part of efforts to reach an agreement for Lebanon, which could be implemented within weeks, according to three unnamed sources.
Hochstein and McGurk are expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Axios reported.
Israeli and American officials believe that Hezbollah may ultimately be willing to distance itself from Hamas in Gaza after some of the setbacks the Lebanese group has faced in the past two months, including the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, according to Axios.
The U.S. State Department has not yet responded to a request for comment.
