Lebanon Stands Firm against Israeli Conditions in Under-Fire Ceasefire Negotiations

Lebanon has been firmly standing against the Israeli conditions during talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire. The Israeli enemy has been escalating its attacks in the latest days with at least 3 strikes targeting the capital Beirut on Sunday and Monday, in attacks that described by observers as a direct message of pressure and negotiations that are under fire.

The latest strike on Beirut was on Monday evening, when an aerial attack targeted a center for humanitarian aids in a densely populated residential area, killing at least five people, including a mayor and his assistant, and injuring many others.

In a new push for a ceasefire between Lebanon and the Zionist entity, US envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, a day after Lebanon handed its response to the US ceasefire proposal. Hochstein met with Lebanese officials including Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker PM Najib Mikati and Army Commander Joseph Aoun.

Meanwhile, and despite reports on “optimism” over reaching a deal, caution still prevails

‘Israel Can’t Be Trusted’

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper quoted sources close to Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri as saying that the Zionist entity “cannot be trusted,” and that Beirut is negotiating under fire and constant escalation.

“Although the atmosphere is somewhat positive, it cannot be built upon or taken into account, whether for previous experiences with the enemy on the Lebanese level, the latest of which was the American-French initiative, or the truce path in Gaza,” the sources said.

“The enemy is resorting to escalation, expanding its targets, and attacking civilians and civil defense. On Sunday, it also attacked the Lebanese army in the south, which indicates its criminality, intentions, and attempt to exert pressure with force of fire to impose its conditions,” according to the sources.

Conditions

As for details of the US ceasefire proposal, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on Tuesday that the US, Lebanon and the Zionist entity kept the draft proposal confidential.

However, leaks revealed that it includes 12 points, and that the points of contention are two: The first is related to the “principle of self-defense,” which the draft calls for adopting as a right for both parties (Lebanon and the Zionist entity), while the second is related to the membership of the committee overseeing the implementation of the UN Resolution 1701, according to the Lebanese daily.

Lebanon believes that the “right to self-defense” is guaranteed by the international laws and cannot be included in a ceasefire deal, and that Tel Aviv’s insistence on it conceals a desire to obtain so-called “legitimacy” for any hostile action against Lebanon under the pretext of “self-defense”, Al-Akhbar added, stressing that Beirut categorically rejects such conditions.

Regarding the committee overseeing the implementation of 1701, Al-Akhbar reported that Lebanon has reservations about the membership of Britain and Germany and about the working mechanism of this committee.

Hezbollah Stance

Earlier on Monday, Member of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, MP Ihab Hamade stressed that the stance on the ceasefire has 3 constants: “Adherence to Resolution 1701 without any amendment, safeguarding Lebanese sovereignty, and ensuring that the enemy gains nothing politically it couldn’t achieve militarily.”

“We seek a ceasefire and remain open to dialogue, but we are not begging for any agreement; our focus is on the battlefield,” the Lebanese lawmaker added.

In his latest speech, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed that Speaker Nabih Berri is leading Lebanon’s talks, along with PM Najib Mikati, stressing that Lebanon will never accept any deal that violate its sovereignty.

Source: Al-Manar English Website