Israel's political divide deepens over Lebanon operations: Strategy hinges on two amendments addressing military presence, border security

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

The political leadership in Israel has rejected the demands of security agencies and military leaders to end the ground operation in Lebanon within a few days and to pursue a settlement that guarantees border security and the return of northern residents.

This stance was expressed during a consultation session called by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night, which included a small number of ministers and security agency leaders. 

During the session, ministers insisted that operations against Lebanon would require several weeks to ensure the complete dismantling of Hezbollah's capabilities while affirming their commitment to continue discussing a settlement proposal.

During the session, two additional items were added to what had previously been agreed upon between Tel Aviv and Washington, which will be discussed by White House Coordinator for the Middle East Brett McGurk and U.S. Presidential Envoy Amos Hochstein in Tel Aviv on Thursday. 

Hochstein postponed his meetings in Tel Aviv by a week, awaiting clarity on the Israeli position and progress toward an agreement.

The first amendment guarantees the continued presence of Israeli forces inside Lebanon.  

The second amendment adds a clause concerning the border with Syria and preventing the smuggling of weapons to Hezbollah through it. 

Diplomats emphasized the potential role that Russia could play. Reports revealed that a delegation representing it held talks in Israel last week, including a commitment to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Syria to Lebanon.  

While military leaders agreed to the Israeli conditions, they emphasized the need to avoid an "exhausting war" with Lebanon that leaves northern towns vulnerable to rockets indefinitely.  

Amid ongoing disagreements between military and political leaders and the increasing number of soldiers killed and wounded in Lebanon, Israeli ministers are looking to connect the agreement to negotiations for a hostage deal with Hamas in Doha. They plan to use a ceasefire in Lebanon as leverage to pressure Hamas into retracting its conditions.