Participants in negotiations to resolve the situation in Lebanon said Monday afternoon that an agreement to end the war could be concluded within a week and a half to two. Progress was made during the talks, especially on additional terms that would be included in the agreement to guarantee Israel freedom of military action in southern Lebanon if the ceasefire is broken.
Ynet reports this.
Biden’s envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to travel to the Middle East next week to help negotiate the deal.
While talks on Lebanon are generating some optimism, there remains pessimism in Jerusalem about a deal to free the hostages. Hamas told mediators it was unwilling to give in and offered only a cessation of hostilities and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Hamas has rejected proposals for small agreements.
“We need to be honest: there will be no deal now. Neither big nor small. The question is whether we are prepared to rescue the remaining hostages and end the war in Gaza,” say sources close to the situation. “All these are just words. There will be no agreement without a solution that ends the war in Gaza. “We need to recognize reality.”
Jerusalem understands that if Prime Minister Netanyahu decides to end the war through a deal, his government could fall apart. Therefore, the probability of such an outcome occurring is extremely low. There is a possibility that Netanyahu will try to tie normalization with Saudi Arabia to a broader deal, but that will take months. The hostages in danger cannot wait for an agreement to be reached.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a news conference: “We want to see the war in Gaza end as soon as possible. We understand that Israel cannot afford to continue the conflict due to the economic and political consequences. “We need to find a diplomatic solution.”
According to the publication, according to sources, a clearer understanding of how events will develop in Lebanon and in the case of the hostages may appear after the elections in the United States. There is speculation that after the elections pressure will increase on Israel to end the war. In Israel, they believe that no matter which candidate wins, the Biden administration will continue to fight for a major agreement that includes ending the war. Biden will no longer fear repercussions for his campaign. His legacy can be measured by how he manages to end the Gaza conflict and secure the release of the hostages.
If Trump wins, the Ynet writer writes, the question will be whether Prime Minister Netanyahu will want to position himself in Trump’s eyes as someone who will help Biden succeed in the Lebanon negotiations or the hostage deal.
Recall that “Cursor” wrote that Israel is preparing for a possible air strike by Iran, increasing the level of combat readiness. The Jerusalem Post, citing military sources, reports that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are holding daily meetings to assess the situation, and that the air force and air defense systems are on high alert.
