Lebanon-Israel ceasefire efforts: Latest developments
Hezbollah has informed the relevant parties, specifically Speaker Nabih Berri, who is tasked with negotiating with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, that it agrees to a 60-day truce in Lebanon and a full and comprehensive implementation of Resolution 1701, MTV reported Wednesday evening.
"Hezbollah has agreed to separate Lebanon's front from Gaza's and to move its weapons from the southern border area to the area north of Litani," MTV said.
It added that Lebanese officials have agreed to put Beirut's airport and port and the eastern and northern border with Syria exclusively under the supervision of the Lebanese Army, which would "monitor and guarantee that no arms are entering Lebanon."
Berri meanwhile told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Lebanon will not accept to "change a single letter in Resolution 1701" and that the ball now is in the court of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel's Channel 12 for its part said that Netanyahu has "expressed his approval of a settlement in Lebanon that would guarantee the safe return of Israelis to their towns."
Israel's Walla news portal meanwhile quoted senior Israeli officials as saying that Israel and the U.S. have reached "preliminary understandings regarding the principles for a political settlement to end the war in Lebanon."
A senior Israeli official said that Israel and the U.S. "see eye to eye" on the principle that "an agreement will first be reached and only then will the ceasefire begin." The Israeli official estimated that it would take "several weeks" to reach an agreement.
"During the discussion convened by Netanyahu yesterday with several ministers and senior officials of the defense establishment, the principles for a political settlement in Lebanon were approved. Senior Israeli officials said that during the discussions there was agreement that the ground operation in Lebanon is very close to being exhausted and therefore a political settlement should be sought," Walla reported.
Cyprus' president meanwhile said that it is possible to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon within a week or two.
Source: Naharnet
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