by Ariel Kahana
Sources familiar with the negotiations say Israel's strategy aims to ease U.S. pressure in the transition period to the Trump administration.
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Israeli soldiers seen during operational activity in Southern Lebanon, November 2024. Credit: IDF. |
There has been a significant breakthrough in efforts to achieve a diplomatic settlement between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a senior Israeli diplomatic official told Israel Hayom on Saturday.
The source characterized the proposed agreement as highly advantageous to Israel’s strategic interests, describing the progress as “very substantial” while maintaining discretion about specific details.
A second high-level government source, while confirming the positive developments, cautioned that final agreements remain pending. The source indicated that Israel’s diplomatic strategy aims to ease pressure from the Biden administration during the transition period leading up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The official emphasized that the Israel Defense Forces will retain operational freedom to respond to any security threats from across the northern border, regardless of any diplomatic arrangements or paper agreements.
Israeli officials have expressed concern regarding the possibility that the United States may fail to veto a unilateral United Nations Security Council to end the war. Nevertheless, a third diplomatic source asserted to Israel Hayom that Israel would only conclude military operations upon securing a satisfactory settlement, confirming that negotiations toward such an agreement are currently advancing.
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported on Sunday that Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is scheduled to fly to Washington to finalize ceasefire arrangements. Army Radio reported that Dermer secretly visited Russia last week to discuss a settlement in Lebanon.
Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) was harshly critical of the reports, stating, “Woe to us, we must force Hezbollah to beg for a ceasefire.”
A similar response came from MK Tally Gotliv (Likud), who stated, “It would be disastrous if Israel considers stopping the fighting in the north merely due to concerns about a Security Council resolution! The recent unilateral pause in the north was already a mistake. We must continue to weaken Hezbollah until they beg for a ceasefire.”
Earlier in November, diplomatic sources informed the Lebanese newspaper Al-Jumhuriya that an immediate settlement appeared unlikely. The assessment followed discussions between White House emissaries Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk and Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ariel Kahana
Source: https://www.jns.org/significant-progress-reported-in-lebanon-ceasefire-talks/
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