A new political path to stop the escalation between Israel and Hezbollah based on a two-stage US proposal

The Israeli media reported that there are positive signs, which have emerged for a political path to stop the escalation with Lebanon on the basis of a two-stage US proposal.

Channel 12 reported on Sunday that positive signs appeared during meetings of US President Amos Hockstein’s senior advisor with Israeli officials, led by Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

Channel 12 added, “US Special Envoy Amos Hockstein arrived on Sunday evening to hold a series of meetings in Israel, and it appears that for the first time since the outbreak of war, positive signs appeared in the diplomatic channel”.

According to senior officials in Israel, a better feeling emerges from the meetings than at the beginning of the war, with a real chance for the step to succeed.

Channel 12 continued, “Indications of the possibility of reaching a diplomatic settlement would not have been received if there had not been an agreement on Hezbollah’s part as well”.

The Israeli channel noted, “The American proposal includes a two-step formula… In the first phase, the two sides will prepare a temporary understanding agreement, which includes the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from the southern Lebanese borders, an increase in the deployment of UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese army in the region, and finally the return of the Israeli population to the towns that were evacuated north at the beginning of the war.

If the efforts actually bear fruit, the negotiations will take place in the second phase, within which Israel will also be prepared for certain settlements, Channel 12 added, referring to the negotiations to demarcate the land borders with Lebanon, which Washington is pressing to hold.

Last week, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bouhabib announced that his country rejected Israel’s plan for Hezbollah to withdraw north so that it could return its settlers to their homes, justifying this by saying that Beirut wants a complete solution, which is clarifying the borders between the two sides.

According to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, Israel is still occupying the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills, and is carrying out engineering works there.

Israel is also failing to define the borders at the 13 points reserved by Lebanon, which hinders efforts to reach a long-term solution.

Hockstein contributed to reaching an agreement to demarcate the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon at the end of 2022.

In this case, Channel 12 said, “Israel accepts the American proposal, but stresses that progress will necessarily depend on a ceasefire in the south (Gaza)”.

Channel 12 added, “Hochstein realizes in his meetings that Israel doesn’t allow an unlimited period of time… It repeats that if there is a ceasefire in the south (Gaza), Israel won’t stop the war in the north (Lebanon) without a settlement, which is the position he also expressed”.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had informed Hochstein that Israel was ready to resolve the conflict with southern Lebanon through “diplomatic understandings,” according to a statement issued by Gallant’s office after his meeting with Hochstein at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv.

However, Gallant added to Hochstein, “But we are also prepared for any other scenario,” and said that Israel is committed to improving the security situation along Israel’s northern border, including removing infiltration and shooting threats from Lebanon.

According to a statement from Gallant’s office, “The two sides discussed the necessity of changing the security situation in the northern arena and discussed ways to return displaced Israelis to their homes in the north”.

In the wake of a devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, since October 8, 2023, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed tension and intermittent exchange of fire between the Israeli army on the one hand, and Hezbollah and Palestinian factions on the other hand, which led to deaths and injuries on both sides border.