The Israeli official also said that Israel demanded its air force “have freedom of operation in Lebanese air space.”
Israel provided the United States with a document last week with its conditions for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Lebanon, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two US officials and two Israeli officials.
According to the Israeli officials, Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s office handed the document to the White House ahead of President Biden’s envoy Amos Hochstein’s visit to Beirut on Monday to discuss a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Israel gave the U.S. a document last week with its conditions for a diplomatic solution to end the war in Lebanon and allow displaced civilians from both sides of the border to return to their homes, two U.S. officials and two Israeli officials told Axios. https://t.co/8QtNwKz5Gq
— Axios (@axios) October 21, 2024
Among the Israeli conditions is that the Israeli army “be allowed to engage in ‘active enforcement’ to make sure Hezbollah doesn’t rearm and rebuild its military infrastructure in the areas of southern Lebanon that are close to the border,” Axios said.
The Israeli official also said that Israel demanded its air force “have freedom of operation in Lebanese air space.”
According to the Israeli newspaper Walla, citing an informed American source, Israeli conditions are unlikely to be approved.
Contradicts UN Resolution 1701
The two demands, Axios pointed out, contradict UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which states that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) enforce a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
The peacekeeping force accused Israel of deliberately demolishing a UNIFIL tower and a fence labeling it as ‘a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701.’https://t.co/XAUgUHIT24 pic.twitter.com/ddEIjcRynb
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 21, 2024
“We are talking about 1701 with increased enforcement. Our main message is that if the Lebanese army and UNIFIL do more, the IDF will do less and the other way around”, the Israeli official reportedly said.
The report added that a US official said it was “highly unlikely that Lebanon and the international community would agree to these conditions, which would dramatically undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
‘Working on Formula’
Hochstein told a press conference in Beirut on Monday that neither Lebanon nor Israel “ever fully implemented resolution 1701, which ‘contributed to the conflict we are witnessing today’,” the Axios report said.
⭕ LIVE: US envoy Amos Hochstein holds a press conference in Beirut after having talks with Lebanese officials amid continuing Israeli attacks across the country. https://t.co/F6qk6pocvZ
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 21, 2024
“We are working on a formula that will end the conflict once and for all so that it won’t start again next month or next year,” Hochstein stated.
‘Last Chance before Elections’
Hochstein earlier met with Lebanese officials, including acting prime minister Najib Mikati and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri to discuss the Israeli demands.
According to Axios, Berri told Al-Arabiya on Sunday that Hochstein’s visit was “the last chance before the US elections to reach a solution” to the war in Lebanon.
The United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) accused Israel on Sunday of deliberately demolishing one of its observation towers and a perimeter fence in Marwahin, in Tyre, south of Lebanon.
In a statement, UNIFIL slammed Israel for violating a UN position and sabotaging its properties labeling the Israeli assault as “a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolution 1701.”
There have been at least three attacks on the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon by Israeli occupation forces since its ground invasion began earlier this month.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
