Let's make a deal: Hochstein and McGurk coming to Israel to discuss ceasefire

US envoy Amos Hochstein and US diplomat Brett Mcgurk will be arriving in Israel tomorrow (Thursday), in order to discuss terms for a possible ceasefire in the north, according to Ynet.

This decision comes following Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision, following a closed meeting with senior members of the defense establishment, to work to convert Israel's military gains in Lebanon into a stable and lasting settlement in the north which ensures Israeli residents can return safely.

Meanwhile, Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and the man authorized by Hezbollah to negotiate on their behalf, has said that the ball is in Netanyahu's court and that he would not agree to any change in UN Resolution 1701, including presumably the enforcement mechanism by which south Lebanon was demilitarized - UNIFIL and the Lebanese Army.

Israel has voiced increased skepticism of this mechanism after uncovering the scale of Hezbollah armaments and preparation in southern Lebanon, and have increasingly demanded an active role for the IDF in overseeing disarmament of the area south of the Litani.