Exclusive-Lebanon seeks faster Israeli pull-out, right to self-defence in truce, official says

By Laila Bassam

Lebanon is seeking changes to a U.S. ceasefire proposal to ensure a speedier withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon and to give both parties the right to self-defence, a senior Lebanese official said on Thursday.

Lebanese officials requested the changes during meetings in Beirut this week with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who is working to strike a deal in the waning months of the Biden administration to end the war between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel.

The amendments sought by Lebanon, details of which have not previously been reported, indicate Hochstein still has work to do to seal a ceasefire agreement which he said was "within our grasp" during a visit to Beirut on Tuesday.

The Lebanese official told Reuters that Lebanon wanted to see Israeli troops "withdraw immediately after the ceasefire is declared so the Lebanese army can deploy in all areas" and so displaced people could return to their homes.

The official added that the Israeli position was a withdrawal within 60 days of the truce being announced.

A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not immediately available to respond to Reuters questions about their stance on the language of the truce deal.

Israel sent ground forces into south Lebanon on Oct. 1 as part of its stepped-up offensive against Hezbollah.

The official said the current draft deal referred to a pull-out from "Lebanese borders" while Lebanon wanted a specific referral to "the Lebanese border" to ensure that Israeli troops would withdraw from the frontier in full, not in part.

Lebanon has also sought language in the proposal that would preserve the right of both sides "to self-defence", the Lebanese official said, without elaborating.

Israel has insisted that, even if a truce is agreed, it will have the right to keep striking Hezbollah. Israel's foreign minister said on Wednesday his country wanted to "enforce" that Hezbollah would stay out of southern Lebanon and not bring in weapons into Lebanon by land or through sea and airports.

The Lebanese official said there was no language in the U.S. draft deal on Israel continuing its strikes against Hezbollah and that Lebanon rejected any breach of its sovereignty.