Surrender? Cabinet to meet tomorrow to approve 60-day ceasefire with Lebanon

November 25, 2024   

After weeks of talks between Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah: A security source announced today (Monday) that a 60-day ceasefire agreement has been reached, which is agreed upon between the parties. Tomorrow the political and security cabinet is expected to convene at 5:30 PM to approve it. Before that, a meeting will be held tomorrow morning at the Prime Minister's office with the heads of the coalition. The agreement includes several key steps: • IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon: Within 60 days of the signing of the agreement, IDF forces will withdraw from southern Lebanon. They will be replaced by the Lebanese Army, which will be responsible for maintaining security in the region. •  Establishment of an international supervisory body: A new monitoring mechanism will be established, to which Israel will be able to report any violation of the agreement. France is expected to take an active part in this mechanism, after receiving Israel's approval for its participation. • United States support: As part of the agreement, the United States will provide Israel with an official letter guaranteeing full freedom of action for the Israeli Air Force in the region, as necessary. According to a report this evening in the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron will declare a 60-day ceasefire on the northern border tomorrow. During the negotiations, Israel demanded that France not be part of the forum overseeing the agreement, partly due to Paris's position on the Hague issue, but due to the Lebanese side's insistence, the parties reached a compromise that the US would enforce the agreement and France would have a more marginal role. According to a report in 'Kan News', a political source said that the agreement with Lebanon would reduce American pressure regarding Gaza and lift the arms embargo. According to political sources, the US administration's promise to the prime minister was that it would transfer weapons to Israel that had been under embargo until now due to President Joe Biden's opposition to Israeli policy. As part of the agreement, the United States and the UN will mediate between the parties on the issue of border amendments, but the discussion will also only take place after a 60-day ceasefire. 60 days. In addition, Israel and Lebanon will have to announce the appointment of an officer from their side to join the monitoring mechanism. As part of the agreement, Hezbollah is expected to withdraw to the area north of the Litani River. Elias Bou Saeb, deputy speaker of the Lebanese parliament, tells Al Jazeera that negotiations have concluded and reached a final version of the agreement, but Lebanon is cautious until Israel publicly approves it. He added that the five members of the committee to oversee the implementation of the agreement are the US, France, the UN, Lebanon and Israel - and this time, unlike in the past, a US representative will head the committee. There is no representation on the committee from Britain, Germany or any Arab country. According to a report by Moti Castel, Channel 14's political correspondent, Prime Minister Netanyahu is holding marathon talks throughout the evening with ministers, Knesset members and opinion leaders. The gist of his remarks: The ceasefire agreement is not ideal, but there is a real danger that the US will force a unilateral resolution on us in the Security Council to stop the war, when on the one hand there will be sanctions against us if we do not stop, and on the other hand we will have no freedom of action in the event of a violation. If that happens - we will accept both a ceasefire and no agreement. Therefore, if we can postpone the end by two months and have an American commitment to attack for any violation, it is certainly better than the alternative. Bereaved families from the Heroism Forum are calling on the government to immediately publish the details of the agreement being formed in the north. The families say that their loved ones fell in order to defeat our enemies and for victory, and they are committed to ensuring that the will of the fallen is implemented. "We demand to know the details of the agreement being formed in the north of the country," the families wrote. "Our loved ones went into battle and fell - in order to return the residents of the north and south to their homes safely and to defeat our enemies - with their deaths they commanded us victory. We have no interest in continuing to fight in vain, but on the other hand we are committed to ensuring that the goals and achievements of the war are preserved and that our loved one's will is implemented and whether the levers for the return of the kidnapped are found. We call on the Israeli government - publish the details of the agreement being formed immediately, the people of Israel want victory, let the people examine the agreement.".