In a significant development in West Asia, Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon. The agreement will come into effect at midnight (Israel time) on 27 November.
Israel’s Security Cabinet, the country’s top decision-making body under the government, has agreed to the ceasefire. Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a speech after the agreement, “The duration of the ceasefire depends on what happens in Lebanon. We will implement the agreement and respond forcefully to any violations. We will remain united until victory.” “
“We will complete the destruction of Hamas, we will bring home all our hostages, we will ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel and we will return the residents of the North safely home. The war will end by then.” “It will not happen unless we realize all of its goals, including the safe return of residents of the North to their homes, and I tell you, it will be the same as what happened in the South,” Mr. Netanyahu said.
He then gave 3 reasons why Israel agreed to the ceasefire:
“The first reason is to focus on the Iranian threat, and I won’t belabor that.
The second reason is to relieve our forces and replenish reserves. And I say this openly, it is no secret that there have been major delays in the delivery of weapons and munitions. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weapons that will keep our troops safe and provide us with more firepower to accomplish our missions.
And the third reason for a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas. By the second day of the war, Hamas was relying on Hezbollah to fight on its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left alone. “We will increase our pressure on Hamas and this will help us in our sacred mission of rescuing our hostages.”
Israel and the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah have been at war for several months. Tel Aviv retaliated after Hezbollah began attacking Israel with rockets and projectiles for more than a year. Hezbollah has been supporting Hamas, another Iran-backed terrorist group, which it considers its ally.
Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 2023, when militants breached the Israel-Gaza border and took Israeli hostages at a concert. Hamas is based in Gaza, where the war began after Israel responded to a terrorist attack. Since then, wars in West Asia, commonly known as the Middle East, have caused widespread destruction and thousands of deaths in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet have agreed to a ceasefire.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu has warned that if Hezbollah breaks the agreement, Israel will not respect it either and will retaliate with full force. The peace deal was achieved with the intervention of the United States and France, and US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to officially announce it soon.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is working with top Israeli officials to negotiate a ceasefire that comes into effect at midnight tonight.
Some of the key points of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement are as follows:
- Hezbollah and all other armed terrorist groups in Lebanese territories will not conduct any offensive operations against Israel.
- In return, Israel will not conduct any offensive military operations against targets in Lebanon (land, air or sea).
- Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
- These commitments do not negate the right of Israel or Lebanon to exercise their natural right of self-defense.
- The official Lebanese security forces and army will be the only armed groups allowed to carry weapons or operate troops in southern Lebanon.
- Any sale, supply or production of weapons or related materials in Lebanon will be subject to the monitoring and control of the Lebanese Government.
- All unauthorized facilities involved in the production of weapons or related materials will be destroyed.
- All unlicensed infrastructure and military sites will be destroyed, and all weapons that do not comply with these commitments will be confiscated.
- A committee acceptable to both parties, Israel and Lebanon, will be formed to oversee and assist in ensuring the implementation of these commitments.
- Israel and Lebanon will report any potential violations of these commitments to the Committee and UNIFIL.
- Lebanon will deploy its official security forces and military along all borders, crossing points and the line delineating the southern zone outlined in the deployment plan.
- Israel will gradually withdraw south of the Blue Line within a period of 60 days.
- The United States will facilitate indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to reach an agreement on recognized land borders.
