A US-backed proposal to halt fighting between Israel and Lebanon has been met with immediate uncertainty, with Lebanese officials saying its implementation depends on Hezbollah’s approval and lacks a clear enforcement mechanism.
It followed two days of US-brokered direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli representatives, the fourth round of such negotiations to be held in Washington.
The talks produced a declaration calling for the implementation of a ceasefire and the creation of pilot zones in south Lebanon where the Lebanese Armed Forces would assume exclusive control, excluding all non-state actors.
But a senior official close to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told Middle East Eye that the text “has no implementation mechanism” and that the entire process now hinges on Hezbollah’s response.
“The agreement is dependent on Hezbollah’s approval,” the official said.
