Lebanese officials told of ‘extensive’ co-ordination between Biden and Trump teams to end Israel-Hezbollah war

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Lebanese officials involved in Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire talks were informed of “extensive” co-ordination between US President Joe Biden and president-elect Donald Trump’s teams to secure a deal, with more hurdles addressed in recent days, officials and diplomats told The National on Friday.

During meetings in Beirut this week, US officials and western diplomats conveyed the message that gave Lebanese officials hope a ceasefire could soon be achieved through the mediation efforts of US envoy Amos Hochstein that have brought an agreement within reach.

Mr Hochstein’s talks in Beirut and Tel Aviv between Tuesday and Thursday focused primarily on resolving the remaining hurdles, particularly Israel’s insistence on maintaining the right to freedom of action against Hezbollah after the war, a demand Lebanon firmly rejects.

“There is extensive work and co-ordination going on between the Trump team and the Biden team and Hochstein to reach a solution and settlement for the war on Lebanon,” said one of the sources involved in the negotiations. “This isn’t an Israeli gift to Biden and Trump. The agreement, if it happens, does not mean that it is a gift.”

Regional diplomats and officials close to the talks understand that the Biden administration is pushing to end the war to secure a diplomatic achievement before leaving office after a period of perceived setbacks, while Mr Trump is eager to see a deal finalised before he assumes office.

Israel, which has been bombing Lebanon for months, insists on retaining the freedom to act against targets in the neighbouring country if the agreement is violated. Meanwhile, Lebanese officials and Iran-backed Hezbollah emphasise that the deal must safeguard Lebanon's sovereignty.

Sources in Beirut told The National this week that Lebanon's concerns are focused on whether the US can guarantee Israel will respect its sovereignty. It remains uncertain if Lebanon is willing to accept a deal with an ambiguous definition of “the right to self-defence” as outlined in the draft agreement, in exchange for such guarantees.

Mr Hochstein met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other key officials in Tel Aviv on Thursday following two days of discussions in Beirut.

“An agreement and a ceasefire won't happen tomorrow, but many points have been addressed,” said one of the sources involved in the negotiations, adding that “the atmosphere is still positive”.

The ceasefire proposal outlines a truce during which Israel would withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon within days, while Beirut posts army troops to the border and Hezbollah fighters retreat, enabling thousands of displaced Israelis to return to their homes in the north.

A US-led committee would be established during this period to oversee a permanent ceasefire involving UN peacekeepers in Lebanon (Unifil), Lebanese and Israeli officials, and representatives from countries such as the UK and Germany, suggested the draft proposal seen by The National.

According to three officials and diplomats who attended meetings or were briefed on the matter, Lebanon asked Mr Hochstein, before his departure to Israel, to get clarifications on the nature of US “guarantees” that would ensure Israel respects the agreement. Lebanon also lifted a “previous reservation” about the UK's participation in the committee overseeing the ceasefire's implementation after a British military delegation met Lebanese officials in Beirut this week.

Work of the committee

One proposed solution to address the “right to self-defence” clause – which could provide Israel with a pretext to attack Lebanon without warning – is for Israel to lodge its complaints with the committee. The committee would then relay the complaints to the Lebanese Army and Unifil, setting a deadline for action before Israel intervenes, the sources explained, adding that this solution is under discussion.

The work is focused on resolving four key issues, according to two Lebanese officials briefed on the talks: the committee's working mechanism, its limits, and the scope of its powers; procedures for addressing Israeli complaints, including informing the committee of violations and defining Lebanon's response; the Lebanese Army's capacity to deploy sufficient forces south of the Litani Line to secure the border, given its limited resources, and whether partner countries in the committee will assist; and logistical details regarding how quickly Israel will commit to the ceasefire and withdraw its forces that have advanced several kilometres inside Lebanon.

“There is also information that Egypt will contribute to supporting the Lebanese army and perhaps other Arab countries,” said one of the two officials without elaborating.

In Israel, Channel 12 reported that the government insists France “should not be part of the settlement agreement with Lebanon”, despite Paris not yet being considered for any role in the process. Relations between France and Israel have been tense recently, with Paris accusing Israel of “negatively impacting” their bilateral ties.

As ceasefire talks reached a critical stage, Israel further intensified its attacks on Lebanon, killing more than 50 people across the country, primarily in the east, over the past 24 hours, according to Lebanese health officials. More than 3,500 people have been killed and 1.4 million displaced since the conflict broke out in the border regions in October last year, in parallel with Israel's war on Gaza.

On Friday, as Lebanon celebrated its 81st Independence Day, bombing targeted areas in the southern suburbs of Beirut and key cities in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces are still attempting to advance with their invading troops. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued firing missiles at targets in northern Israel and engaged in battles with Israeli troops in southern Lebanese towns.

Thursday's ceasefire talks took place as Mr Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant received news that they face formal prosecution at the International Criminal Court following the issuing of arrest warrants against them on charges of overseeing attacks on Gaza's civilian population, where their army has killed more than 44,000 people, mostly women, and children, since October last year.

Israeli media reported that Mr Netanyahu, now a wanted individual, received the information during his meeting with Mr Hochstein.