Lebanese source denies Israeli leaks: Hochstein's alleged plan and Lebanon's stance

The Israeli media deliberately broadcasted news about a proposal put forth by the senior advisor to the White House, Amos Hochstein, regarding the situation along the borders between Lebanon and Israel. 

This article was originally published in and translated from the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Anbaa.

The plan consists of three stages, beginning with Hezbollah's withdrawal to a depth of ten kilometers, followed by the deployment of the Lebanese army, and then the return of the displaced persons.

A Lebanese source, speaking on condition of anonymity to "Al-Anbaa," commented on the Israeli leaks, stating, "What Israel has published reflects a direction within the Israeli government. It is a proposal they desire and does not constitute a binding agreement with Lebanon."

The source said: "The basis is Israel's commitment to implementing Resolution 1701, which it has violated around 35,000 times since its issuance, by land, sea, and air, and it uses Lebanese airspace to carry out attacks on Syria."

The source denied, "These Israeli leaks that coincided with Hochstein's visit to Tel Aviv, which claimed that the Lebanese government had agreed to Hochstein's plan regarding the southern front, which it said is based on Hezbollah's withdrawal, the deployment of the army and UNIFIL, and then the return of the displaced persons from both sides."

Moreover, the source explained, "These allegations fall within the context of Israeli pressure, while the official Lebanese position is clear, that any discussion of fixing the land borders and the situation along them will occur after the cessation of the war on Gaza. Israel is required to comply with Resolution 1701, which it has continued to violate since its issuance in 2006."

The source said, "If there were any positivity on the Israeli side, Hochstein would have gone to Lebanon to continue his efforts, but this did not happen as his destination is still unknown, and Lebanon has not been informed of his visit to Beirut."

In addition, the source observed, "Israel wants to change the agreed rules of engagement according to Resolution 1701, and it is betting on a Lebanese concession in this regard to return to its previous proposal, which it has not backed down from at all, namely, expanding the tasks of UNIFIL forces to include the Lebanese-Syrian borders to prevent the supply of weapons to Hezbollah."

The source affirmed, "The return of Lebanese displaced persons to their villages from which they were displaced will not wait for any plan or executive mechanism; it will be immediate and automatic with the commencement of the expected truce or cessation of hostilities."

"If Israel wants to keep tension on the front with Lebanon, in that case, we will go down another path that places the international community in front of its responsibilities to deter Israel and compel it to comply with international decisions," the source continued.