US envoy arrives in Beirut to hold cease-fire talks with top Lebanese officials

By Wassim Seif El Din

BEIRUT (AA) - US special envoy Amos Hochstein early on Tuesday arrived in the Lebanese capital Beirut to resume cease-fire talks with top Lebanese officials.

The official Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) confirmed that Hochstein arrived at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport.

An informed source told Anadolu that Hochstein is scheduled to meet Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati to review the possibility of reaching a cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

The US, Israel’s main ally, is mediating between Tel Aviv and Beirut to reach a cease-fire deal to end more than a year of attacks between Hezbollah and Israel.

Hochstein is also expected to travel to Israel on Wednesday.

Last week, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that Beirut has received a US proposal for a cease-fire with Israel.

He, however, denied that the proposal “includes any kind of freedom of movement for the Israeli army in Lebanon,” a condition he described as “unacceptable” and non-negotiable. He reiterated Lebanon's refusal to compromise on its sovereignty.

Israel has been engaged in cross-border warfare with Lebanon, launching an air campaign against what it claims are targets of the Hezbollah group in late September.

More than 3,500 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with nearly 15,000 injured and more than a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara