US special envoy Amos Hochstein urged Israel, Lebanon, and the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah to seize the present opportunity and agree to a ceasefire that would end the war that has raged since October 8 of last year.
“We have a real opportunity to bring this conflict to an end,” Hochsten told reporters in Beirut, adding, “This is a moment of decision-making.”
He spoke amid the Biden administration’s optimism that an opportunity to end the war is close. Both Israel and Lebanon have seen a US proposal for a ceasefire, which is based on the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006 but which was never fully implemented.
That resolution bans the operation of armed non-state actors such as Hezbollah in southern Lebanon between the Litani River and Israel’s northern border.
A ceasefire agreement is expected to have an implementation mechanism to ensure that Hezbollah can not re-arm and is likely to create a wider buffer zone such that Hezbollah would be behind the Litani River.
Among Israel’s controversial demands has been the instance that the IDF must be able to strike Hezbollah military targets as well as arms smuggling routes, including at the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Hochstein holds talks with Lebanese Parliament speaker, caretaker PM
In Lebanon Hochstein is holding talks to finalize details regarding the ceasefire. He spoke with reporters after meeting Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri but before discussions with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. Both men are supportive of the US ceasefire efforts.
Hochstein said his conversation with Berri was “very constructive and very helpful” and“we have continued to narrow the gaps” between all the sides.
Hochstein said his goal while in Beirut was to help facilitate decision-making around a ceasefire deal.
“But it’s ultimately the decision of the parties to reach a conclusion to this conflict,” Hochstein stressed, adding that the end of the war “is now within our grasp.”
“As the window is now, I hope the coming days yield a resolute decision,” he said.
