“This is the deadliest conflict between the two countries in decades”

US President Joe Biden appeared shortly after Israel announced on Tuesday that it was agreeing to a ceasefire in Lebanon after more than a year of war with Hezbollah. “I have spoken with the prime ministers of Israel and Lebanon and I am pleased to announce that both governments have accepted the United States’ proposal to end this devastating conflict,” announced the president, who stressed that the ceasefire was to come into effect at 4:00 a.m. local time: “Under the agreement reached today, which will come into effect tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. local time, the fighting across the border between Israel and Lebanon will cease: this is a permanent cessation of hostilities. hostilities.”

“Let’s be clear, it was not Israel that started this war. Neither does the United States. Over the past year, including in the days immediately following October 7, I ordered the U.S. military to mobilize assets in the region, including aircraft carriers, fighter squadrons and sophisticated air defense batteries, with the aim of defending Israel and deterring our common enemy. said Biden, who has consistently used the narrative of Israel’s self-defense to continue to justify U.S. military and economic complicity in Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

Indeed, the Israeli cabinet approved this Tuesday a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon after more than a year of war with Hezbollah which left 3,500 dead and 1.2 million displaced in the Arab country, according to the Israeli Channel 12. In Israel, 78 people died – including 47 civilians – and around 60,000 people had to leave their homes in the north of the country due to exchanges of fire.

Netanyahu said Hezbollah “is no longer the same” and has “gone back decades.” “We have destroyed most of the rockets and missiles. “We have killed thousands of terrorists and destroyed underground and terrorist infrastructure near our borders,” he said. “That is why I will present a plan for a ceasefire in Lebanon to the cabinet this evening.”

Biden, stuck for months with the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, wanted to speak of the agreement as a success. Even if the truth is that the negotiations failed with the victory of Donald Trump: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced shortly after the elections that he would prepare a ceasefire in Lebanon as a “gift” to the new elected president.

Before the US president’s appearance, Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured reporters that the United States was in the “final stages” of reaching a ceasefire with Hezbollah. “This will make a big difference in saving lives and livelihoods in Lebanon and Israel. This will make a big difference in creating conditions for people to return home safely to northern Israel and southern Lebanon. And I also believe that by reducing tensions in the region, it can help us end the conflict in Gaza,” Blinken said on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in Italy.

Although Tel Aviv green-lighted the deal, Hezbollah did not participate directly in the talks. The interlocutor was the Lebanese government, which assured that the Shiite militias would respect the conditions. THE

Details of the proposal have not yet been announced, although early leaks suggest the text is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1701. This document formed the basis for ending the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, although it was never implemented.

Over the summer, Biden held a similar appearance last May to outline a Gaza ceasefire proposal made by Israel. At that time, the American president expressed his support for the text and asked both parties to accept it. Through his appearance, Biden sought a coup to reach an agreement and send the message that the end of the war was near. This was not the case, more than six months later, Israeli attacks continue on the Gaza Strip, where more than 43,000 Palestinians have already died since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.