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Lebanon Prioritizes Genuine Ceasefire, Ready to Consider a Security Agreement
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Conflict & Security

Lebanon Prioritizes Genuine Ceasefire, Ready to Consider a Security Agreement

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Lebanon's negotiators are heading to Washington for a second round of talks focused on achieving a ceasefire with Israel.
  • Lebanese officials suspect Iran and Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu may be obstructing ceasefire efforts for their own strategic interests.
  • Despite obstacles, Lebanon remains open to a ceasefire and subsequent security agreements, but full peace depends on broader Arab consensus.

Lebanon's negotiators are traveling to Washington for a crucial second round of talks, prioritizing a genuine ceasefire with Israel as their primary objective. This diplomatic push comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, casting a shadow over expectations for an immediate breakthrough.

the right choice” imposed by the realities of war.

— Joseph AounLebanese President defending the decision to pursue negotiations.

A senior Lebanese source revealed that President Joseph Aoun is actively working with the United States to secure a "real ceasefire." However, Lebanese officials increasingly suspect that Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu share a vested interest in thwarting these efforts. The source suggested Netanyahu's motivations are tied to personal and electoral considerations, while Tehran aims to leverage Lebanon as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with Washington.

real ceasefire.

— Senior Lebanese sourceDescribing President Aoun's objective in the Washington talks.

Despite these perceived obstacles, Aoun remains convinced that ceasefire efforts will ultimately succeed, viewing them as an "inevitable outcome of the current trajectory." The American proposal reportedly includes an Israeli withdrawal contingent on reciprocal understandings. Lebanon's delegation intends to enter the discussions with a singular demand: a ceasefire, based on the reinforced belief that ending the fighting is fundamentally a political decision.

Netanyahu’s calculations are driven by personal and electoral considerations, while Tehran seeks to keep Lebanon as a bargaining card to be used by Hezbollah in Iran’s negotiations with Washington.

— Senior Lebanese sourceExplaining the suspected motivations of Israel and Iran in obstructing ceasefire efforts.

Lebanese officials have indicated openness to various post-ceasefire scenarios, including a security agreement akin to those discussed with Syria, a formal end to the state of war, or a permanent cessation of hostilities. However, any move toward full peace with Israel would likely hinge on the broader Arab position, particularly Saudi Arabia's stance.

the inevitable outcome of the current trajectory.

— Senior Lebanese sourceExpressing confidence in the eventual success of ceasefire efforts despite current obstacles.
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Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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