Lebanon awaits Israel's response: Is a ceasefire plan on the table?

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israel's war on Lebanon could last longer than its confrontation with Iran, according to a report by the Financial Times, even as Lebanese officials continue diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has proposed a four-point initiative to halt the fighting. The plan calls for a comprehensive ceasefire to stop Israeli attacks on Lebanon, logistical support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and the deployment of Lebanese forces to areas of tension to confiscate weapons there, including those belonging to Hezbollah and its stockpiles.

The proposal also envisions the start of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, under international sponsorship, to implement the plan's details.

According to LBCI sources, the four-point initiative was the focus of talks between U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. During the discussions, Berri stressed the importance of maintaining a mechanism that would serve as the framework for implementing a ceasefire and ending the war.

Aoun also discussed regional developments with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Both leaders agreed that the sensitive circumstances require stronger coordination and consultation between the two countries, particularly to control the border and prevent any security breaches from any side.

Parallel to Aoun's diplomatic efforts, international contacts have continued. The United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, is holding talks in Tel Aviv and is expected to return to Beirut carrying Israel's response to the Lebanese proposal.

France is also awaiting an Israeli reply. 

Information coming from Israel suggests the proposal may be rejected.

However, it remains unclear whether that position is final or whether a formal response could prompt Jean-Noël Barrot to return to Lebanon for further diplomatic efforts.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Lebanon on Wednesday.

For now, a ceasefire does not appear imminent as Lebanon awaits Israel's official response.

Several media outlets and Western diplomatic sources have indicated that the response is unlikely to be positive, as Tel Aviv does not want to negotiate with Lebanon before dismantling Hezbollah's weapons, a process that could take longer than the war with Iran, according to the Financial Times.