Believe in a ceasefire before the US election

 

Hezbollah
Lebanon's Prime Minister hopeful: "Cease-fire before the US elections"

Wayne Seretis

Published 10.55

Heavy bombings over Lebanon's capital Beirut at the end of October. Photo: Hussein Malla / AP

Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati believes in a ceasefire before the US presidential election.

After talks with the US envoy to the region, he says, according to Reuters:

- We must remain optimistic that we will have a ceasefire in the coming hours or days.

Thousands of Lebanese have been killed or injured since Israel began its intensive bombing campaign against Hizbollah in September. On October 1, Israel launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.

In the last 24 hours alone, 30 people have died, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Now there are hopes that the fighting can come to an end.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati believes in a ceasefire soon. Photo: Alain Jocard / AP

Yesterday, Israel televsion channel KAN reported on a leaked proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, which was dismissed by most commentators as unlikely.

It stated, among other things, that the regular Lebanese army should become a security guarantor in southern Lebanon, and that Hezbollah should withdraw above the Litani river according to UN resolution 1701, which was adopted after the war in 2006.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has not commented on the individual proposal, but said on Wednesday that he believed in a ceasefire before the US presidential election next week, optimism raised after talks with US envoy Amos Hochstein, who is traveling to the region on Thursday.

- During our conversation, Hochstein suggested to me that we can reach an agreement before the end of the month, and before November 5. We are doing everything we can and must remain optimistic that we will have a ceasefire in the coming hours or days, says Mikati according to Reuters.
 

According to Al Jazeera, Mikati wants security guarantees from the US for a ceasefire to be possible, without specifying what the guarantees should contain.

White House security spokesman Sean Savett would not comment on the leaked proposal.

- There are many reports and proposals circulating. They do not reflect the current status of the negotiations, he told Reuters.

The presidential election in the United States will be decided on November 5. Photo: AP

Hizbollah has not commented on the leaked proposal, but the terrorist group's newly appointed leader Naim Qassem made a less hopeful statement on Wednesday in his first official speech, according to Reuters.

Qassem says that Hezbollah would "agree to a ceasefire within certain parameters, if Israel wanted an end to the war, but Israel has so far not agreed to a single proposal that is possible to discuss."