US Envoy Strives for Stability at Lebanon-Israel Frontier Amid Gaza Cease-fire Efforts – Sky Bulletin

In a bid to preserve tranquility along the tense Lebanon-Israel boundary, a leading American diplomat paid a visit to Beirut on Monday amidst global efforts to broker a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. However, achieving peace in Gaza will not necessarily lead to quiet on the Lebanon-Israel front, which has seen escalated hostilities recently.

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian faction Hamas has led to exchanges of fire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The clashes have caused displacement and raised concerns about the conflict spreading further in the region.

During his Beirut trip, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, engaged in discussions with Lebanese officials, starting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is aligned with Hezbollah. Hochstein emphasized the American commitment to a diplomatic resolution that would enable displaced Lebanese and Israelis to return home safely.

The visit by Hochstein coincides with mediation attempts by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to establish a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. The peace negotiations also involve the release of hostages captured by Hamas since an attack on October 7 that ignited the current conflict.

The urgency of Hochstein’s mission was underscored by an attack from Lebanon that resulted in the death of a foreign worker in Israel and injuries to others, as reported by the Israeli Magen David Adom rescue service.

Hezbollah has claimed to have thwarted Israeli infiltrations at the southern Lebanon border. The mounting casualties on both sides have underlined the war’s toll: hundreds of fighters and civilians have perished.

Amidst his calls for a change in the security situation along the disputed Lebanon-Israel border known as the Blue Line, Hochstein highlighted that merely temporary measures would not suffice for long-term security and stability.

Further, the issue of whether a Gaza truce would extend to Lebanon was addressed by the envoy, clarifying that a direct connection between the two fronts is not implied and that separate discussions for Lebanon are necessary.

Proposals for de-escalation between Hezbollah and Israel have been proposed by Western diplomats, which may entail Hezbollah’s withdrawal from proximity to the border.

Simultaneously, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Kassem criticized America’s role in the ongoing conflict, pointing to the US vetoes at the United Nations Security Council that have prevented ceasefire resolutions pertaining to the Gaza situation.

According to Kassem, the prerequisite for preventing war expansion in the region is to address the aggression against Gaza by Israel and the United States.

The article includes information from Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman from Tel Aviv, Israel.