The Biden administration has been pressuring Israel to reach a “diplomatic arrangement” in Lebanon, ignoring the obvious facts that the previous “diplomatic arrangement” was a dismal failure and that UN or international “peacekeepers” have proven to be completely helpless over Hezbollah, which is not only a powerful military organization (thankfully less so today) but is also an influential political movement that is part of the Lebanese government.
Additionally, it is well-known that Hezbollah has penetrated the Lebanese army so the assumption that Lebanese soldiers will act against Hezbollah cannot be a given.
Nevertheless, recent reports say that following U.S. pressure, efforts are being made to reach an arrangement, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer even traveled to Russia for a discussion on the matter. Russia’s entrenchment in Syria, which is closely connected to Hezbollah in multiple ways, and its increasingly warm ties with Iran, pose thorny problems for any deal regarding Hezbollah in Lebanon but also pose opportunities for the “right price.”
Despite the reports, newly appointed Defense Minister Katz on Tuesday denied Israel is working toward a ceasefire, stating decisively that “there will be no ceasefire or lull in fighting in Lebanon.”
Katz added: “The warning and powerful activity carried out by the IDF and security agencies against Hezbollah and the elimination of Nasrallah portray victory. We must continue the offensive operations to further diminish Hezbollah’s capabilities and reap the fruits of victory.”
“We will continue to strike Hezbollah with full force until we achieve the goals of the war. Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee its right to enforce and prevent terrorism and meet the war objectives in Lebanon – disarming Hezbollah, pushing them beyond the Litani River, and allowing residents of the north to safely return to their homes.”
On Monday, Katz held his first meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and senior IDF officials. Following the meeting, he stated: “I emphasized in my first meeting with the IDF leadership that ‘Iran is more exposed than ever to attacks on its nuclear facilities. We have an opportunity to achieve the most important goal – to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.'”
Axios reported on Monday evening that Dermer met with President-elect Donald Trump and Jared Kushner in Mar-a-Lago on Sunday and one of the issues they discussed was a possible ceasefire in Lebanon.
The report did not include details about Trump’s view on the matter but said that the Biden administration is pushing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon but the US and Israel “still haven’t agreed on the wording of a letter that would include a U.S. commitment that Israel would be able to take military action in Lebanon if the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers don’t prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing military activity near the border or smuggling heavy weapons into Lebanon.”
The report quoted a Biden administration official as claiming: “We just have a couple more things to work through with the Israeli side, but we are almost done.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said that it won’t agree to any deal that allows Israel to take military action in Lebanon after a ceasefire is signed.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
This is a big mistake, till the moshiach comes we in the exile we might have been about to say that we had no choice from the anti semitism and the inter marriage that was at the time but to fight for independence but the minute we say that we are in it for personal gain not just to keep alive as normal people and have religion but for self indulgence then we can not win it is against the rules till moshiach comes, here Lebanon is saying it was self defence for the arabs that originated from the land and they are asking for peace if Israel says no, this is big mistake, it will mean that they acted the same in Gaza and October 7 and are doing things for extras not caring about civilians most of these countries no very well that at the present time the can’t win Israel with the primitive weaponry that are waiting for an opportunity to make some sufficticated bad weaponry