The Never-Ending Story: Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Ceasefire (Again)
Ah, the joy of a ceasefire – the ultimate oxymoron in the world of Middle Eastern politics. It’s a bit like saying, "I’m on a diet, but I’ll just have one more slice of cake." Or, in this case, "I’m not going to bomb you, but I’ll just have one more bombing run before we call it a day."
US President Joe Biden, that lovable uncle of world politics, announced that the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah would end at 4 am local time (because who doesn’t love a good 4 am ceasefire?). The aim, Biden said, is a "permanent cessation of hostilities" – or as I like to call it, a temporary pause until someone gets bored and decides to lob a few more rockets.
Now, I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that the phrase "permanent cessation of hostilities" is just a fancy way of saying "we’ll stop fighting for a little while, until we get bored or someone does something stupid again." It’s like saying, "I’m not going to yell at my kids again… until they leave their toys all over the floor."
The Usual Suspects
So, what’s the plan, you ask? Well, it seems that the militia loyal to Iran (because who doesn’t love a good militia?) will initially withdraw behind the Litani River, about 30 kilometers north of the de facto Israeli-Lebanese border. Meanwhile, Israel’s ground troops will withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days, because who needs a lengthy occupation, right?
And just to make sure no one gets any ideas, soldiers from the Lebanese army (who are not actually involved in the war – talk about a weird sentence) will be stationed in the border area parallel to the Israeli withdrawal. It’s like a game of musical chairs, but with guns and bombs instead of chairs.
The UN Resolution: Because That’s Always Worked Well in the Past
The agreement will be monitored by a group of states led by the USA, France, Lebanon, Israel, and the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL. Because, you know, the UN is always effective at keeping the peace (see: Rwanda, Srebrenica, etc.).
According to reports, the agreement largely corresponds to UN Resolution 1701, which tried to bring about a permanent end to the violence after the previous war in 2006. US mediator Amos Hochstein referred to the terms of the new agreement as "1701 plus" – because who doesn’t love a good sequel?
Netanyahu’s Three Main Arguments
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu justified his approval of the ceasefire with three main arguments: Israel can concentrate on the biggest threat (Iran), Hamas is isolated, and the army can recover and replenish its arsenal. He also mentioned that the US has restricted its arms deliveries, but will lift these restrictions with the ceasefire. It’s like a game of "find the good news," but with bombs and rockets.
Many "Successes"?
Netanyahu took stock of the situation and saw many "successes" since Israel responded to the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. He claimed that Hezbollah has been "set back by years" – a bit like saying that I’ve been "set back by years" because I ate too much cake.
Israel killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah (or at least, that’s what they’re claiming – it’s not like they have a great track record of accuracy), destroyed most of the rocket arsenal, and dismantled an underground tunnel network in southern Lebanon. It’s like a game of "war bingo," but without the fun.
The Not-So-Popular Ceasefire
A two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah will come into force from Wednesday. But not everyone is happy about it – residents of towns in northern Israel criticized the ceasefire, saying it came too early and that Hezbollah hadn’t been sufficiently weakened. It’s like they’re saying, "Can’t we just have one more good bombing?"
Israel carried out intensive air strikes on Beirut and the south of the country on Tuesday, because why not? And just before the ceasefire was announced, Israel attacked targets in Lebanon, killing at least seven people and injuring at least 37. It’s like a game of "dodge the ceasefire," but with bombs and rockets.
In Conclusion
And that’s a wrap, folks. The ceasefire is on, but for how long? It’s like trying to predict the weather – you never know what’s going to happen next. But one thing is certain: the drama will continue. Because, as we all know, Middle Eastern politics is just one big, never-ending soap opera.
Ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon Underway
Hours after the Israeli Air Force bombarded Beirut, a fragile ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States and other key players like France, has come into effect, according to US President Biden. During his address in Washington, Biden announced that the ceasefire will be implemented at 4 a.m. local time, 3 a.m. CET, marking the beginning of a “permanent cessation of hostilities.”
The primary objective, as emphasized by Biden, is to ensure this agreement’s successful implementation, thereby preventing the recurrence of the violence-plagued cycle witnessed in the past. It is imperative to note that no United States troops will be stationed in Lebanon to uphold the agreement.
Details of the arrangement, as reported earlier, suggest that a 60-day silence on the use of weapons is expected. However, as per Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement, the duration of the ceasefire hinges on Lebanon’s adherence to the agreed terms. Netanyahu cautioned that any attempts by Hezbollah to rearm or breach the accord could lead to an Israeli attack.
According to confirmed reports, Hezbollah militias loyal to Iran are expected to retreat behind the Litani River, situated approximately 30 kilometers north of the de facto Israeli-Lebanese border, once hostilities cease. In a parallel development, Israel’s ground troops will withdraw from Lebanon within the stipulated 60-day timeline.
Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s readiness to mount an attack if Hezbollah attempts to breach the agreement. To prevent Hezbollah fighters from reentering the area, Lebanese army soldiers, who were not actively engaged in the conflict, will be deployed in the border region concurrently with the Israeli withdrawal.
The implementation of the agreement will be monitored by a multinational group spearheaded by the United States, in conjunction with France, Lebanon, Israel, and the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, which has been stationed in Lebanon for years.
Notably, the agreement bears a striking resemblance to UN Resolution 1701, which was put forth in 2006 to achieve a permanent end to violence, albeit with little success. US mediator Amos Hochstein aptly described the terms of this new agreement as “1701 plus.”
Netanyahu, who had expressed his support for the ceasefire, identified three primary reasons warranting his approval. Firstly, with the ceasefire in place, Israel could focus its attention on the looming threat from Iran. Secondly, Hamas is effectively isolated, and the Israeli army can recover and replenish its arsenal, thanks in part to the easing of US restrictions on arms deliveries.
Before addressing the ceasefire, Netanyahu took stock of Israel’s progress since responding to the unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and its subsequent invasion of Gaza. In his assessment, after a year of warfare, Hezbollah had suffered a major setback, with its chief, Hassan Nasrallah, and other key leaders being neutralized, and a substantial portion of its rocket arsenal and underground tunnel network in southern Lebanon destroyed.
Despite these developments, news of the ceasefire was met with skepticism by many Israeli residents, particularly those in northern towns. Avichai Stern, the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, a town situated near the border, was quoted as saying, “I don’t understand how we went from total victory to total surrender.”
Minutes before the ceasefire was announced, Israel carried out an intense bombing campaign targeting Beirut and southern Lebanon. The bombing resulted in the loss of seven lives and injuries to at least 37 people, according to the Ministry of Health.
In a separate incident, shortly after the ceasefire’s announcement, Israel launched airstrikes on a Lebanese border crossing with Syria, confirming reports by Lebanese security sources. This marked the second time in a short span that Israel attacked official and unofficial border crossings between Lebanon and Syria, resulting in the death of two Syrian government soldiers.
