Hezbollah Rejects Ceasefire Plan as Israel-Lebanon Talks Begin By The Media Line Staff Lebanon and Israel began their fifth round of peace talks since April at the US State Department in Washington, DC, as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel continued despite a declared truce announced Monday night. The negotiations are taking place amid continued exchanges […]
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The Media Line: Hezbollah Rejects Ceasefire Plan as Israel-Lebanon Talks Begin
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Hezbollah Rejects Ceasefire Plan as Israel-Lebanon Talks Begin
By The Media Line Staff
Lebanon and Israel began their fifth round of peace talks since April at the US State Department in Washington, DC, as fighting between Hezbollah and Israel continued despite a declared truce announced Monday night.
The negotiations are taking place amid continued exchanges of fire and after a senior Hezbollah official said Tuesday that the group would refuse to accept any “partial” ceasefire agreement with Israel.
A Lebanese diplomatic official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations said Beirut remained committed to the talks despite the tensions and ongoing hostilities.
Lebanon is seeking an Israeli withdrawal from its territory and an end to Israeli strikes. Israel has said its military operations are necessary because Hezbollah has not disarmed despite a commitment to lay down its weapons as part of a ceasefire agreement reached in 2024.
At the center of the latest dispute is a reported US-backed proposal that would require Hezbollah to halt attacks on northern Israel in exchange for Israel refraining from striking Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, however, said the organization would reject such an arrangement.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency which cited a written statement from Qomati received by AFP, the Hezbollah official said the group would not accept the reported framework and warned that any Israeli action against Beirut’s southern suburbs would trigger a stronger response.
Qomati said any Israeli “aggression against” Beirut’s southern suburbs could lead to “a deeper and stronger response” from Hezbollah.
His remarks came as diplomatic efforts continued in Washington to find a path toward ending the conflict.
Qomati’s statement also appeared to challenge reports that Hezbollah had accepted a limited arrangement tied specifically to attacks on northern Israel and the status of Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, fighting has continued between Israel and Hezbollah as both sides remain divided over the conditions required to secure a broader ceasefire.