Report: Le Drian urges pressing Hezbollah on 1701 as Israel seeks 'buffer zone'

French Special Presidential Envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is currently visiting Lebanon, has expressed Western desire to “press Hezbollah to commit to the implementation of Resolution 1701,” a media report said.

“A Lebanese political leader has been informed by Western sides that the Israeli enemy is facing the dilemma of the refusal of the residents of the northern settlements to return to them, and that Israel has discussed with Western and Arab countries the possibility of pressing Lebanon to establish a buffer zone inside its border, which would allow for the return of settlers,” informed sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Thursday.

“The Western countries that responded to the Israeli desire modified the suggestion, considering that the buffer zone should be on the two sides of the border, something that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far refused,” the sources added.

“Nevertheless, talk has started with the Lebanese political forces, topped by the government, to work on establishing a buffer zone south of the Litani River and pushing Hezbollah’s elite force away from it, while Hezbollah’s local rivals have been asked to launch a political and media campaign in this regard,” the sources went on to say.