On Monday, Lebanon called for direct negotiations with Israel , a move aimed at reaching “permanent arrangements for security and stability on our borders,” they said, while blaming Hezbollah for deepening the country’s crisis.
According to CNN, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun outlined the proposal during a virtual meeting with European Union officials. In his remarks, Aoun criticized both Hezbollah and Israel, saying Lebanon was being squeezed by forces that had little regard for its sovereignty or stability. He accused Israel of showing “no respect for the laws of war, nor for international laws,” while also condemning Hezbollah as “an armed faction” that “places no value on Lebanon’s interest nor on the life of its people.” Aoun said the Shiite militant group had sought “the fall of the State of Lebanon, under aggression and chaos,” and accused it of acting “for the sake of the calculations of the Iranian regime.”
Aoun proposed a new internationally backed initiative that would establish a truce between Israel and Lebanon while supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in disarming Hezbollah and confiscating its weapons. Under the plan, a “complete truce” would halt Israeli attacks as the two countries begin “direct negotiations under international sponsorship” to secure a “final cessation of hostile acts” and create lasting security arrangements along the border.
The proposal would also require a gradual Israeli withdrawal from positions it has occupied in southern Lebanon since defeating Hezbollah after the terror group attacked the Jewish state following the Oct 7, 2023, massacre. Aoun proposed that Lebanese military forces move in to replace Israeli troops.
Last week, Lebanon’s government declared Hezbollah’s military activities illegal, though the state remains too weak to disarm the group by force on its own. Despite the Lebanese government’s stance, violence along the Israel-Lebanon border has continued. Since Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, launched attacks on Israel following the U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran, rocket and missile fire toward northern Israel has persisted. Anti-tank missile incidents targeting Israel Defense Forces positions along the northern border have also continued.
Among Israeli officials and foreign diplomats, questions remain about Hezbollah’s objectives. “What is the terrorist organization trying to achieve with this move, which seems completely illogical?” one source familiar with the discussions asked, according to The Jerusalem Post. The same source said Washington believes Lebanon has not acted forcefully enough against Hezbollah, dismissing the Lebanese proposal.
A Western diplomat told the Post that Hezbollah appears to believe it has reached a point where it has little left to lose. “In light of Iran’s weakening, the removal of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from Lebanon, and the blocking of financial transfers to Hezbollah, the organization feels it has reached a point where it must act,” the diplomat said.
Two Israeli officials also told the Post that Hezbollah is trying to deter the Lebanese government from moving against it by showcasing its military capabilities. At the same time, they said, the group is seeking to pressure Israel into withdrawing from its positions inside Lebanese territory.
During a visit to Northern Command on Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Not only will we not withdraw in the face of Hezbollah, but we will seize the opportunity to strike it.” Later Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with senior security officials and Defense Minister Katz to discuss both the war with Iran and the escalating fighting in Lebanon.
According to CNN, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun outlined the proposal during a virtual meeting with European Union officials. In his remarks, Aoun criticized both Hezbollah and Israel, saying Lebanon was being squeezed by forces that had little regard for its sovereignty or stability. He accused Israel of showing “no respect for the laws of war, nor for international laws,” while also condemning Hezbollah as “an armed faction” that “places no value on Lebanon’s interest nor on the life of its people.” Aoun said the Shiite militant group had sought “the fall of the State of Lebanon, under aggression and chaos,” and accused it of acting “for the sake of the calculations of the Iranian regime.”
Aoun proposed a new internationally backed initiative that would establish a truce between Israel and Lebanon while supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces in disarming Hezbollah and confiscating its weapons. Under the plan, a “complete truce” would halt Israeli attacks as the two countries begin “direct negotiations under international sponsorship” to secure a “final cessation of hostile acts” and create lasting security arrangements along the border.
The proposal would also require a gradual Israeli withdrawal from positions it has occupied in southern Lebanon since defeating Hezbollah after the terror group attacked the Jewish state following the Oct 7, 2023, massacre. Aoun proposed that Lebanese military forces move in to replace Israeli troops.
Last week, Lebanon’s government declared Hezbollah’s military activities illegal, though the state remains too weak to disarm the group by force on its own. Despite the Lebanese government’s stance, violence along the Israel-Lebanon border has continued. Since Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, launched attacks on Israel following the U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran, rocket and missile fire toward northern Israel has persisted. Anti-tank missile incidents targeting Israel Defense Forces positions along the northern border have also continued.
Among Israeli officials and foreign diplomats, questions remain about Hezbollah’s objectives. “What is the terrorist organization trying to achieve with this move, which seems completely illogical?” one source familiar with the discussions asked, according to The Jerusalem Post. The same source said Washington believes Lebanon has not acted forcefully enough against Hezbollah, dismissing the Lebanese proposal.
A Western diplomat told the Post that Hezbollah appears to believe it has reached a point where it has little left to lose. “In light of Iran’s weakening, the removal of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from Lebanon, and the blocking of financial transfers to Hezbollah, the organization feels it has reached a point where it must act,” the diplomat said.
Two Israeli officials also told the Post that Hezbollah is trying to deter the Lebanese government from moving against it by showcasing its military capabilities. At the same time, they said, the group is seeking to pressure Israel into withdrawing from its positions inside Lebanese territory.
During a visit to Northern Command on Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said, “Not only will we not withdraw in the face of Hezbollah, but we will seize the opportunity to strike it.” Later Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with senior security officials and Defense Minister Katz to discuss both the war with Iran and the escalating fighting in Lebanon.
