Source to Al-Joumhouria: Six-week Gaza truce to extend to the Lebanese front

On the southern front, what stands out is the renewed international calls for Lebanon to seek to cool down the southern front and avoid war. 

This article is originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Al-Joumhouria.

Reliable sources revealed to "Al-Joumhouria" that a senior European official conveyed to top officials a warning that Israel is increasingly talking about running out of patience with Hezbollah's continued targeting of the Israeli army and settlements.

According to the sources, this official seemed aligned with the Israeli stance, completely ignoring Israeli attacks on Lebanon and placing the responsibility on the Lebanese government, urging it to pressure Hezbollah to implement Resolution 1701 and stop its operations against the Israeli army.

He described these operations as causing tension, emphasizing the urgent need for strict measures and arrangements on the borders to promote security and stability on both the Lebanese and Israeli sides. 

In discussing the situation in Gaza, he stressed the necessity of reaching a truce before Ramadan.

According to the sources, this approach was met by responsible Lebanese levels with a detailed presentation of the long series of Israeli attacks on Lebanon and the repeated violations, which exceeded 30,000 violations of Resolution 1701, in addition to targeting southern towns and Lebanese territory and civilians. 

It was emphasized that Lebanon does not seek war, nor does it want it at all, while Israel is trying to escalate the confrontations. Therefore, instead of turning to the victim who defends his country, you should turn to the aggressor to stop his attacks.

The Lebanese position, articulated by a senior official, concluded: "It seems that your bias towards Israel is an attempt to compensate for what you consider owed to it since World War II. But isn't what Israel did in Gaza more atrocious than what you call the 'Holocaust'?"

"In any case, we have previously told all envoys who came to us, and we reiterate now Lebanon's commitment to Resolution 1701 and its implementation in all its aspects, emphasizing that the source of danger to Lebanon and the region is not from Lebanon but from Israel," the official said.

"Unfortunately, your countries seek security for Israel, but what about Lebanon's security? Hence, international efforts, if they truly seek stability in the region, should focus on exerting serious pressure on Israel and deterring it from any aggression against Lebanon," the official continued.

Meanwhile, alongside Israeli threats to continue the confrontation with Hezbollah, even if a truce is reached in Gaza, a senior reference to "Al-Joumhouria" affirmed that if a six-week truce is agreed upon, it will inevitably expand to the Lebanese front. 

The reference bases this assessment on two factors: firstly, Israel cannot afford a war with a weary army on a front that Israel itself acknowledges could be tens or even hundreds of times harder than Gaza. 

The reference said, "It is worth noting the Israeli media's astonishment at how Israel convinces itself of the necessity to open another front with Hezbollah, which possesses weapons far more destructive and exponentially greater than what Hamas has."

"This raises a question to the military and security levels threatening war: has anyone considered the costs? The second factor is the US position, where Israel cannot wage war unsupported by Washington, which fears or rather warns against, a war that could escalate into a regional conflict," he continued.

"Hence, its focus through Hochstein is on promoting calm in the southern region and the necessity of effectively completing diplomatic efforts to produce an understanding related to arranging the situation in the southern region," the reference added.

Responding to a question, he said, "Israeli threats of continued confrontation with Hezbollah are directed primarily towards the Israeli domestic audience, with exaggeration towards Lebanon. It is known that Americans are pressing to avoid escalation, and they emphasize in all direct and indirect correspondences their efforts to prevent matters from sliding into a wide-scale war."

He added: "In any case, we have affirmed to everyone Lebanon's full commitment to Resolution 1701 and that Lebanon does not want war, period. Nevertheless, we do not rule out any possibility or aggressive step Israel might take against Lebanon, so all resistance forces are prepared to defend Lebanon."

The same reference, responding to a question about a possible visit by the US envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut, said: "There is no information confirming that so far, but we sense some indications that the United States may exploit the truce period to bolster its presence to contain the escalation on the southern front."