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U.S. Plan Envisions Israeli "Hot Pursuit" Capacity Against Threats from Lebanon

(JNS) Shimon Sherman - At the base of the American proposal for de-escalation in Lebanon sits UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought about a ceasefire following the Second Lebanon War in 2006. "The whole aim of the proposal is implementing Resolution 1701; in other words, 1701 is the common denominator of the proposal," said international law expert and former Israeli ambassador to Canada Alan Baker. "1701 already exists and it just needs strengthening and encouragement. This arrangement is there to give a possibility for the resolution to be implemented properly in the way it was originally intended." The resolution sought to guarantee the security of Israel's northern communities by removing all armed groups in southern Lebanon except the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and an international peacekeeping force (UNIFIL), but the resolution was never truly enforced. Baker explained that "You can't just get rid of UNIFIL, because it is set up by the UN Security Council and they will never get rid of it, so limiting UNIFIL is the best option." A side-letter agreement between Israel and the U.S. expands on Israel's "hot pursuit" capacity, which was not initially codified in UNSCR 1701. Under the agreement, Israel would be allowed to respond "with the greatest urgency" to threats emanating from the border area. Israel would further be allowed to carry out strikes against developing threats throughout Lebanon, including storage or production of long-range missiles in northern Lebanon. However, such action would require prior consultation with the U.S. According to Baker, "What has been added is Israel's right to act if the requirements of 1701 are violated, in coordination and support with the United States and other elements involved in monitoring the implementation. This is very significant for Israel's security."
2024-11-05 00:00:00
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