Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that even if there is a ceasefire deal reached in Lebanon, Israel will still operate militarily against Hezbollah.
“The most important thing is not (the deal that) will be laid on paper,” Netanyahu told the Knesset, according to AFP. “We will be forced to ensure our security in the north (of Israel) and to systematically carry out operations against Hezbollah’s attacks… even after a ceasefire.”
Netanyahu’s comments reflect Israel’s demands for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel wants Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon to areas north of the Litani River and wants its military to have freedom of action in southern Lebanon so it could enforce the deal, which is a non-starter for Hezbollah and the Lebanese government.
A few weeks ago, Israeli media reported on a leaked US-drafted proposal for a Lebanon ceasefire that included Israel’s conditions. The US recently submitted a new ceasefire proposal to Lebanon, which the Lebanese government said it received “positively,” signaling it might not include the same maximalist demands.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said most issues were resolved with the latest US draft proposal but that there were some “unclear points” that required “clarification” from Amos Hochstein, who President Biden has appointed as an envoy for Lebanon ceasefire talks.
Hochstein is an Israeli-born IDF veteran who quietly encouraged Israel’s major escalations in Lebanon back in September despite the US initially saying publicly that it wanted a ceasefire. Hochstein is expected to visit Beirut this week to discuss the latest ceasefire proposal.
