The Hebrew channel “Kan” reported, on Sunday evening, that there was progress in efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
For its part, the Hebrew Channel 12 reported, quoting an Israeli official, that a political agreement is expected to be reached with Lebanon within two weeks.
The United States is pressing; In order to propose a ceasefire that would restore calm on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border after more than a year of exchanged attacks on the border between Israel and Hezbollah on an almost daily basis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Lebanese Hezbollah must be removed beyond the Litani River, whether by reaching a ceasefire agreement or without it, stressing the need to prevent the party from re-arming.
Netanyahu added, during a visit to the border with Lebanon: “Whether there is an agreement or not, returning our evacuated residents safely to their homes in the north requires removing Hezbollah from the Litani River, suppressing every attempt to rearm it, and responding forcefully to any action against us.” .
Netanyahu continued, saying: “I am here on the northern border… From here you see and hear the change in reality, our planes in the sky and our soldiers on the ground across the border line, eliminating the entire secret terrorist group that Hezbollah prepared to raid the Galilee and carry out a massacre even greater than that.” “What happened in Gaza will not happen again.”
He added, “We struck all regions of Lebanon, and I want to make clear that with or without an agreement, the key to restoring peace and security in the north, and the key to returning our residents safely to their homes, is to remove Hezbollah beyond the Litani, first and foremost.”
The Israeli Prime Minister continued, “Secondly, any attempt by the Hezbollah group to rearm must be struck.”
He concluded his speech, saying: “Thirdly, respond firmly to any measure against us. Oxygen pipelines to Hezbollah from Iran through Syria must be cut off. We are committed to all of this.”
