Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stated on Monday (November 18) that Lebanon has responded “positively” to the ceasefire proposal supported by the United States between Israel and Hezbollah. According to reports from CNN, Mikati mentioned in an interview with Al Araby TV based in Qatar that the Lebanese government is seeking clarification on some “unclear aspects” of the proposal. He mentioned that while most of the draft agreement has been resolved, there are some issues needing “clarification” that require face-to-face discussions with Amos Hochstein.
A Lebanese official earlier informed CNN that the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, transmitted the proposal to the Lebanese government through Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri last Thursday night. The official mentioned that Hezbollah reviewed the proposal and submitted a response to Lebanese authorities on Sunday night. The official described the response as being mostly “positive.”
As per the Lebanese official, the US-backed proposal aims to achieve a 60-day ceasefire, serving as the basis for a lasting peace. The terms align with the parameters of UN Resolution 1701, which concluded the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war and stipulates that armed groups south of the Litani River in Lebanon can only be the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping forces.
The official also stated that the proposal requires the withdrawal of Israeli ground forces that have been operating in southern Lebanon since late September and calls for stricter enforcement of UN Resolution 1701.
However, an Israeli source familiar with the negotiations cast doubt on the possibility of reaching this agreement, pointing out that while progress has been made in the talks, Hezbollah refuses to accept Israel’s demand for the right to strike the armed group in case of a violation of the ceasefire agreement, which could jeopardize the negotiation process. The source added that without this clause, it is uncertain whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu can secure cabinet approval for the agreement.
The Israeli source further mentioned that Hochstein has not confirmed his arrival time in the Middle East.
Mikati mentioned that the Lebanese government is in contact with the team of US President-elect Trump.
Another Lebanese source familiar with the ceasefire negotiations earlier told CNN that Trump has endorsed Hochstein’s direction in the ceasefire talks, increasing the likelihood of a successful negotiation.