‘Israel-Hezbollah peace deal designed to ensure permanent cessation of hostilities’

Washington: US President Joe Biden has announced that Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have accepted a US-brokered peace deal that is designed to be a “permanent cessation” of hostilities between the two sides.

As part of the ceasefire, Israel will gradually withdraw its troops from Lebanon over the next 60 days, Biden said in his address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday, shortly after Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the accord.

According to reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented to the Security Cabinet the agreement aimed at ending months-long fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah which was ignited by the Gaza conflict and has killed and displaced thousands. Biden said he spoke with Netanyahu and Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

“I’m pleased to announce that their governments have accepted the United States’ proposal to end the devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. I want to thank President Macron of France for his partnership in reaching this moment,” he said.

“I’ve directed my team to work with the governments of Israel and Lebanon to forge a ceasefire to bring the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to a close.

“Under the deal reached today, effective at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end. This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” he said.

Biden said what is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organisations will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again.

“Over the next 60 days, the Lebanese Army and the State Security Forces will deploy and take control of their own territory once again. Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon will not be allowed to be rebuilt,” he said.

“Over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its remaining forces and civilians on both sides will soon be able to safely return to their communities and begin to rebuild their homes, their schools, their farms, their businesses, and their very lives,” he added. Describing the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah as the deadliest in decades, Biden said lasting security for the people of the two countries cannot be achieved only on the battlefield. “Israel must be bold in turning tactical gains against Iran and its proxies into a coherent strategy that secures Israel’s long-term safety and advances a broader peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.

In New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire announcement and hoped that this would put an end to the violence, destruction and suffering the people of Israel and Lebanon have been experiencing. UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert echoed similar sentiments.

“This agreement marks the starting point of a critical process, anchored in the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), to restore the safety and security that civilians on both sides of the Blue Line deserve,” she said.