Senior Lebanese officials have urged the United States and France to pressure Israel to adhere to a ceasefire following a series of military actions on Lebanese territory that Beirut considers violations. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reportedly reached out to the White House and the French presidency late Monday to voice their concerns, according to Lebanese sources. Berri emphasized that the committee responsible for monitoring the truce, which includes representatives from Hezbollah and Israel, must act swiftly to ensure Israel ceases its violations and withdraws from areas it occupied prior to the ceasefire’s implementation.
The Lebanese army must now decide whether to deploy troops in southern Lebanon to secure its territory. Still, such a move could prompt internal fighting and provoke a new war with Hezbollah, which has a semi-official military status and is funded by Iran. Hezbollah has been helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad battle Sunni rebels. Still, Israel worries that the group is building up its weapons stocks in Syria, a threat to its security.
An Israeli official on Tuesday urged the Lebanese government to let the mechanism set up to monitor the ceasefire do its job. The official did not want to be identified and spoke to Reuters anonymously because of the matter’s sensitivity. The official said he believed that if Israel continued to violate the truce, it would be “impossible for the United States and France to continue to help.”
On Monday, a senior US administration reiterated the White House’s support for the ceasefire and called on the parties to abide by its terms, including immediately withdrawing from disputed territories. The official said he was optimistic that the new monitoring mechanism, led by US General Jasper Jeffers and including members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL, could help resolve disputes and prevent a relapse into hostilities.
The new coordinating body will also include Lebanese military officials and diplomats, with representatives of Hezbollah and Israel. It will work on a day-to-day basis, addressing violations and ensuring that the Lebanese army is strengthened, the official said. The official also expressed hope that the international community will raise funds to rebuild the country, help Hezbollah defray its expenses during the war, and strengthen its capacity to counter threats to Lebanese sovereignty.
Meanwhile, a senior Hezbollah official on Monday told Reuters that the group would not agree to a truce that includes a withdrawal of Israel forces from Lebanese territory, saying such a clause would threaten the survival of the party. The Hezbollah official, who did not wish to be named, also said the party was willing to accept an end to Israeli attacks on the northern border and a guarantee of freedom of movement in Lebanon. Hezbollah is trying to make clear that it wants to be part of the solution in Syria rather than a source of further conflict. Its leaders have said they are not seeking to replace the Syrian government and will only stay in the country if it is stable.
