Caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati (R) at a meeting with MP Simon Abi Ramia in Beirut, Nov. 18, 2024. (Credit: @grandserail/X)
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, told al-Araby TV on Monday that Lebanon’s response to a truce proposal delivered last week by the United States was “positive,” though he noted that some points still required further discussion.
After meeting Mr. Mikati at the Grand Serail on Monday, Simon Abi Ramia, MP and former member of the Free Patriotic Movement, declared that Lebanon did indeed agree with the text, confirming the arrival of US envoy Amos Hochstein in Lebanon tomorrow, Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Grand Serail. L'Orient-Le Jour subsequently learned that Mr. Hochstein had decided to postpone his trip to Beirut pending clarification of the Lebanese position. He was also expected in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. However, according to our information, he will be travelling to Beirut tomorrow.
After meeting Mikati at the Grand Serail, Simon Abi Ramia, an MP and former member of the Free Patriotic Movement, confirmed Lebanon’s agreement with the proposal’s text. Abi Ramia also announced that U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein was expected to arrive in Beirut on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Grand Serail. However, L’Orient Today later learned that Hochstein had postponed his trip, pending clarification of Lebanon’s stance. However, sources later indicated to us that the now plans to travel to Beirut as originally expected and will arrive on Wednesday. Hochstein had also been scheduled to visit Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Earlier, Mikati said Hochstein’s visit would allow outstanding “unclear” points to be “resolved face-to-face.”
Bou Saab optimistic
Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab commented on the delay, stating that Hochstein was not seeking a “failed visit” but was instead aiming to secure an agreement. “As of the last few hours, no official date had been set for his visit to Beirut,” Bou Saab said. Speaking to CNN, he stressed that “Lebanon wants diplomatic negotiations to succeed,” while emphasizing the need for the “full implementation” of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 — something he said had not occurred after its adoption in 2006.
“The agreement we received must be clarified before being approved by Lebanon,” Bou Saab said, adding that he was “optimistic a diplomatic solution can be reached within a week if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu keeps his word, though the experience [of cease-fire talks] in Gaza is not encouraging.”
'Speculations' dismissed by Mikati
During his televised interview, Mikati dismissed claims that the agreement included conditions allowing Israel to act freely against Hezbollah in the event of a cease-fire violation by the party, calling such reports “speculations.”
Based on our information, Israel had initially demanded such a clause, which Beirut categorically rejected. Instead, the parties reportedly agreed on language stipulating that any violations by Hezbollah would trigger intervention by the Lebanese Army, which would be the sole entity authorized to bear arms in the South. This arrangement would be coordinated with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
However, concerns persist in Lebanon about Israel’s insistence on retaining the right to act unilaterally, as well as its demand for a separate written commitment with the United States. Additionally, Israel has called for a ban on weapons transfers to Hezbollah — obtained legally or illegally — from Syria, including by land, sea, or other means.
Reinforcing the Lebanese Army's presence in southern Lebanon
Mikati also discussed efforts to bolster the Lebanese Army’s presence in southern Lebanon, saying he had spoken with Commander-in-Chief Joseph Aoun regarding the army’s deployment plans. “What matters to me is strengthening the army’s presence in southern Lebanon and ensuring there are no [illegitimate] weapons,” Mikati said.
The United States last week submitted a draft truce to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri aimed at ending 13 months of war. The war, which escalated significantly after September 23, has included intensified Israeli strikes across Lebanon, on the Bekaa Valley, southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, followed by the launch of a ground offensive. Additionally, more recently Israel started targeting densely populated areas in central Beirut, with no prior evacuation warnings.
The U.S. proposal reportedly includes a phased deployment of the Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon, where it would be the sole legitimate military authority. The initial phase would involve deploying 5,000 soldiers tasked with ensuring that no weapons remain outside the army’s control in southern Lebanon and dismantling Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
