Lebanon's Berri highlights key ceasefire dispute with Israel amid escalating tensions

The key point concerns the establishment of a committee to oversee the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. Berri added that the wording in the agreement is not acceptable to Lebanon.

By AVI ASHKENAZI, ANA BERSKY NOVEMBER 15, 2024 21:22

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with Ali Larijani, former chairman of the parliament of Iran (not pictured), in Beirut, Lebanon November 15, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/THAIER AL-SUDANI)

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri highlighted a key point of contention in the ceasefire agreement with Israel in an interview with the Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.

According to Berri, the key point concerns the establishment of a committee to oversee the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. Berri added that the wording in the agreement is not acceptable to Lebanon.

He pointed out that Resolution 1701 already includes an existing monitoring mechanism, and he believes it should be used rather than creating an alternative mechanism. Resolution 1701 in Lebanon includes the withdrawal of Hezbollah terrorists to north of the Litani River and the cessation of Israeli ground and air military activities in Lebanese territory.

Berri promised that Lebanon would respond to the proposal "very soon" and that US envoy Amos Hochstein would visit Lebanon if there was any progress. He also stated, "The Americans know (that Israel's freedom of action in Lebanon) is unacceptable to us, and no discussion can be held on this matter because we will not accept any violation of our sovereignty."

According to a report on Friday in the Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the details view the escalation of attacks in Lebanon as a risky gamble aimed at pressuring Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire on Israel's terms. These sources further claim that if Hezbollah does not yield, Israel could become ensnared in a prolonged war in Lebanon and even warn of the dangers of wars of attrition.

Smoke billows over Beirut's southern suburbs, after an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Baabda, Lebanon November 15, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/ADNAN ABIDI)

The Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on Thursday the principles of the negotiations developed between the organization's leadership and political figures in Lebanon. According to the report, Lebanon demands an immediate and complete ceasefire, along with a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from its territory. Senior Israeli government officials told Maariv: "The progress is exclusively between Israel and the United States. We have not received indications pointing to Hezbollah's willingness to make concessions."

Hezbollah resistance remains a key obstacle

According to American and Israeli sources, the political negotiations are primarily taking place between Washington and Jerusalem, with Israel seeking a US commitment to assist in dealing with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese demands also include the immediate return of displaced persons to their homes after the Israeli withdrawal, as well as the reconstruction of the area without external involvement. Lebanese sources claim that despite significant damage to resistance forces at the beginning of the fighting, Israel has not achieved its initial objectives.

Israeli sources confirm progress in talks with the United States in an effort to reach an agreement regarding the northern border, but the big question remains whether Hezbollah's leadership will agree. "There is certainly full coordination with the Americans," a source involved in the talks told Maariv this evening, "but what will happen with the other side is still unclear." Other sources expressed doubts about the possibility of Hezbollah agreeing to the required concessions to adhere to the emerging initiative.

Meanwhile, journalist Barak Ravid reported that Amos Hochstein's round of meetings had closed the remaining gaps in the Lebanon agreement. Alongside the intensification of ground operations, the Israeli Air Force has increased its strikes in southern Lebanon and the Dahiyeh district of Beirut, Hezbollah's stronghold. According to foreign reports, the IDF has been striking the area at least once every two days in the past week. The IDF emphasizes that these strikes are aimed at Hezbollah's weapons depots, rocket launchers, and ballistic missile sites.

"Every day Hezbollah does not accept Israel's terms for an agreement, the price it pays rises," a senior security official told the WSJ. "The goal is to make it clear to the organization's leadership and the Lebanese government that the continuation of the fighting will come at a heavy cost."

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In addition to the strikes in Beirut, the IDF is intensifying its offensive efforts along the northern border with three brigades operating in the sector. "The choice of targets directly impacts the security level and threats to northern communities," a military source explained to Maariv. "We have managed to reduce Hezbollah's firepower to fewer than 100 rockets a day, except for the 'Martyrs' Day' when less than 200 rockets were fired."

Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has eliminated more than 2,250 terrorists, including dozens of Hezbollah commanders. Meanwhile, 67 Israeli soldiers have been killed. In the most recent operation, the 188th Brigade destroyed a weapons storage facility of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, which contained RPG launchers, sniper rifles, and large amounts of ammunition.