Reuters reported on Monday night that Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, announced that Lebanon and the Hezbollah terrorist organization have agreed to a ceasefire with Israel subject to several comments in the agreement.
"Lebanon presented its comments about the potential deal in a positive atmosphere," Khalil said, declining to provide further details. "The success of the initiative now depends on Israel," he added.
"The comments we made are fully based on UN Resolution 1701," he said. Khalil also referred to the Israeli air strikes in Beirut, saying Israel was trying to "negotiate under fire." He added that "the airstrikes do not affect Lebanon's position."
The US envoy to the issue, Amos Hochstein, made his way to Lebanon tonight, and according to reports in Lebanon, he is indeed there this morning. Hochstein made the journey only after having understood from the Lebanese that the chances of an agreement are over fifty percent, since, according to Wint, without this he would not have come to the region, because he does not come to negotiations. He is expected to arrive in Israel this weekend.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also addressed talks for a ceasefire tonight and expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached. Sullivan told PBS, "There is no agreement yet, but we believe there is progress, but we think both sides, both the Lebanese side and the Israeli side, have shown a willingness to do it and get it done in a short time."
