UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS, BACKGROUND INFORMATION
By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) — Israeli media reported Monday that the country’s Cabinet is expected to convene Tuesday to approve a proposed cease-fire agreement with Lebanon.
The reports come amid a flurry of optimistic statements from US and Israeli officials over the past 24 hours, suggesting that a deal may be close.
Lebanon has yet to issue any official confirmation, and the Hezbollah group has cautioned against "false positive atmospheres" propagated by the Washington and Tel Aviv.
"An agreement has been reached regarding the elements of the deal, and the Cabinet is expected to meet on Tuesday to approve it," the news website Walla quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying.
The official added, "We believe there is an agreement. We are on the verge of the finish line, but we have not crossed it yet because the Israeli government still needs to approve the deal tomorrow. Anything could happen at the last minute."
In line with these sentiments, Walla also quoted an unnamed US official, who said the administration of President Joe Biden "believes a cease-fire agreement with Lebanon has been reached."
The draft agreement, unconfirmed by official Lebanese sources, reportedly includes a 60-day transitional period. During this time, the Israeli army is to withdraw from southern Lebanon, while Lebanese forces would deploy in border areas. Hezbollah would also move its heavy weapons north of the Litani River.
The draft also includes an international monitoring committee, led by the US, to oversee the agreement's implementation and address any violations.
The US would provide Israel with security guarantees, including support for military actions against immediate threats from Lebanese territory, and measures to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing its military positions near the border or smuggling in heavy weapons.
Tel Aviv is to take no action without first consulting with Washington and only if Lebanese forces fail to address the threat.
Meanwhile, Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, reported "a prevailing belief in Israel that the agreement with Lebanon has been finalized."
The report added that a "limited consultation" was scheduled for Tuesday to discuss the deal, without specifying the participants. Following the meeting, a broader Cabinet discussion on the agreement may take place.
Citing an unnamed source familiar with the issue, the broadcaster reported that the US administration sought to bring more countries into an international committee tasked with overseeing the agreement and addressing violations.
The report also highlighted that both France and the UK would eventually be part of the committee, despite Israeli objections to France's role following Paris' announcement that it would enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) ruling on arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Walla cited an anonymous US official who said the dispute over France's role in the cease-fire agreement was resolved on the final day of negotiations.
According to the official, France is to take steps to improve relations with Israel and participate in the implementation mechanism.
On Thursday, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
Earlier Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said any resolution in Lebanon would be tested by actions, not words. He stressed the need to prevent Hezbollah from advancing south of the Litani River and from rebuilding and rearming across Lebanon.
"Any violation will be dealt with immediately. We will no longer agree, under any circumstances, to trade the future for a temporary peace in the present," Sa'ar added, according to Walla.
Discussions on an imminent cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon are unfolding against the backdrop of a sharp escalation in hostilities, with Israel intensifying its assaults and Hezbollah significantly ramping up its responses.
Israel has escalated its airstrikes in Lebanon against what it claims are Hezbollah targets as part of year-long warfare against the Lebanese group since the start of the Gaza war last year.
More than 3,760 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with nearly 15,700 injured and over a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Israel this Oct. 1 expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.