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Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-829778
Israel Is Demanding More Aggressive Conditions for Ceasefire Deal with Hizbullah
(Jerusalem Post) Prof. Amatzia Baram interviewed by Shaked Sadeh - Israel must adopt a firmer stance against future threats in the emerging ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, Amatzia Baram, professor emeritus at the University of Haifa, told Maariv on Tuesday. Reports in Lebanese media indicated that the agreement involved a fundamental shift in the makeup of the international forces supervising the border, with a new force to be led by the U.S. and France. Moreover, Israel's demands go beyond pushing Hizbullah north of the Litani River; they include the destruction of all its infrastructure beyond that line. Baram emphasized, "This is not just another routine agreement. This time, Israel is demanding more aggressive conditions - not only to distance Hizbullah physically but to ensure that its facilities and infrastructure are completely destroyed. This is a significant escalation in Israel's security doctrine against Hizbullah." A key point of contention in the agreement is an American letter to Israel that grants legitimacy to Israeli military actions in Lebanon in the event of violations. "This letter is the cornerstone of Israel's strategy," Baram explained. "It is not an official part of the agreement that Hizbullah and Lebanon are required to sign but an annex allowing Israel to act militarily in case of arms smuggling or Hizbullah's return to the border....Israel must ensure the letter remains in effect because, without it, preventing Hizbullah's return to the border becomes impossible." One crucial condition Israel must demand is the prevention of residents from returning to the border villages. "The villages adjacent to the fence were hubs of Hizbullah activity, and Israel must ensure they do not return....We must not repeat past mistakes where we allowed continuous violations out of fear of war." "What is decisive is not just the agreement itself but Israel's willingness to fight for its implementation. We cannot afford to return to the 2006 scenario where we compromised on fundamental principles out of fear of another confrontation."