Our co-editor-in-chief, Anthony Samrani. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Dear reader,
Everything seems to have happened very quickly. A first phone call between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in Washington, a historic meeting immediately afterward, hopes dashed the next day, and finally, the announcement of a cease-fire. On Thursday, April 16, shortly before 7 p.m., U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had brokered a 10-day truce with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which came into effect a few hours later, at midnight on April 17.
“We have the opportunity to conclude a historic agreement with Lebanon,” declared Netanyahu. But Israel’s conditions remain the same: the disarmament of Hezbollah, on the one hand, and the maintenance of the Israeli army “within a broad 10-kilometer buffer zone extending to the Syrian border,” on the other. And, of course, the conclusion of a peace agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv. Hezbollah subsequently asserted that it would respect the cease-fire.
On Friday morning, the Lebanese Army accused Israel of committing "acts of aggression" and bombings in violation of the cease-fire, while Hezbollah announced it had attacked Israeli soldiers in retaliation. Although thousands of displaced people are already trying to return home, the situation remains highly uncertain.
Is the cease-fire likely to hold, or even be extended? How can the Lebanese state now address the disarmament of Hezbollah? What will become of the Israeli military presence in Lebanon?
Many questions remain. Send yours to our co-editor-in-chief Anthony Samrani – in the comments section of this article (if you are a subscriber) or by email at this address: livechatolj@lorientlejour.com .
He will answer your questions here, this Friday, April 17, at 1:30 pm (Beirut time).
See you soon!
