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2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement

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2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement
The Israel–Lebanon–Syria border region
TypeCeasefire agreement
ContextTemporarily stopping the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict, designed to cease hostilities permanently
SignedNovember 26, 2024 (2024-11-26)
EffectiveNovember 27, 2024; 1 day ago (2024-11-27), 02:00 GMT
Mediators United States
 France
Parties Israel
 Lebanon

On November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement was signed by Israel, Lebanon and several mediating countries including the United States.[1] Since 8 October 2023, Israel and Hezbollah had been fighting and on 1 October, 2024, Israel began the invasion of Lebanon. The agreement mandates a 60-day halt to hostilities, during which Israel must withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon,[2][3][4] and Hezbollah must withdraw its forces north of the Litani River.[5] A five-country monitoring panel, led by the United States, will oversee the implementation, with 5,000 Lebanese troops deployed to ensure compliance.[6][3] The agreement does not preclude either Israel or Lebanon from acting in self-defence, but Israeli and Lebanese officials disagreed with what that entails.[7]

In November 2024, US envoy Amos Hochstein met with Lebanese and Israeli leaders to negotiate the ceasefire deal. In Lebanon, he met with Lebanese Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berry, who had Hezbollah's support to negotiate.[8] On 20 November, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem approved the deal.[9] France was added as a mediator to the deal after it walked back on its statement that it would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.[10] After some delays from the Israeli side, Hochstein threatened to withdraw from negotiations unless Israel moved forward with the deal.[10][11] On 27 November, Israel's security cabinet endorsed the agreement with a 10–1 vote.[12] The ceasefire was hailed as a significant accomplishment for the Biden Administration, with US President Joe Biden stating that the agreement was "designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities."[12][4]

The 2006 Lebanon war ended with UN Resolution 1701, which called for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon,[13] and for Hezbollah to disarm.[13] However, it was violated by both sides, as Hezbollah continued to accumulate arms and Israeli military continued to enter Lebanese territory even in the absence of any hostilities.[14] The Lebanese army is weakened by economic crisis and insufficient resources and there are concerns over potential failure to enforce the terms of the ceasefire.[6] Many Lebanese are eager for an end to the conflict, but concerns persist that Hezbollah may disregard the ceasefire and rearm in southern Lebanon.[6][3] On the Israeli side, the prolonged displacement of civilians near the border and the strain on the military continue to drive the need for a solution.[6]

Background

Main article: Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)

Shortly after the onset of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Hezbollah joined the conflict, citing solidarity with Palestinians.[15] On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah started firing guided rockets and artillery shells at Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms, which it said was in solidarity with Palestinians following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and beginning of Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.[16][17] Israel retaliated by launching drone strikes and artillery shells at Hezbollah positions. Israel also carried out airstrikes throughout Lebanon and in Syria. This quickly escalated into regular cross-border military exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, impacting northern Israel, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights.[18] Hezbollah said it aimed to pressure Israel by forcing it to fight on two fronts.[19] Hezbollah has offered an immediate ceasefire should a ceasefire also happen in Gaza.[20][21]

In September 2024, Israel carried out two waves of electronic device attacks targeting Hezbollah's communication systems and assassinated the group's leading figures, including killing secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah during a bombing on September 27 which destroyed Hezbollah's main headquarters in Beirut.[22] On October 1, the Israeli military began a full-scale invasion of southern Lebanon[23] although it had been conducting limited ground operations for some time. Israeli operations led to the significant dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure in southern Lebanon and the destruction of a large portion of its missile stockpile.[6]

In northern Israel, the conflict forced approximately 96,000 individuals to leave their homes,[24][25] while in Lebanon, over 1.4 million individuals have been displaced.[26] Hezbollah stated it would not stop attacks against Israel until it stops its military operations in Gaza;[27] Israel said its attacks would continue until its citizens could return safely to the north.[28]

Negotiation process

On 5 January, 2024, then Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah called for negotiations on the demarcation of the border between Lebanon and Israel (see Shebaa Farms).[29] But he predicated these negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza.[29] In July 2024, Nasrallah again promised a ceasefire on the Lebanese border should a ceasefire also happen in Gaza.[30] In June 2024, US envoy Amos Hochstein travelled to Lebanon to meet Lebanese Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri.[31] He also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.[31] Hochstein also made a similar visit in August.[32] A Lebanese analyst stated at the time that Hezbollah has not expected the war in Gaza "to continue for so long".[32]

On 25 September, the United States, European Union, Qatar and several other countries called for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.[33] Hezbollah leader Nasrallah expressed his agreement with this ceasefire proposal to the Lebanese Foreign Minister, but this was not communicated to the US State Department.[34] On 27 September, Israel assassinated Nasrallah. A 60-day ceasefire was proposed in late October.[35]

In November 2024, US envoy Amos Hochstein met with Lebanese and Israeli leaders to negotiate the ceasefire deal. In Lebanon, he met with Lebanese Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berry, who had Hezbollah's support to negotiate.[8] On 20 November, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem approved the deal.[9] France was added as a mediator to the deal after it walked back on its statement that it would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.[10] After some delays from the Israeli side, Hochstein threatened to withdraw from negotiations unless Israel moved forward with the deal.[10][11] On 27 November, Israel's security cabinet endorsed the agreement with a 10–1 vote.[12] The ceasefire was hailed as a significant accomplishment for the Biden Administration, with US President Joe Biden stating that the agreement was "designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities."[12][4]

Agreement

On November 26, 2024, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu announced the transfer of a ceasefire agreement to the Security Cabinet of Israel.[36] The cabinet voted 10–1 in favor of approving the deal, with the sole opponent being National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.[37]

According to Israeli reports, the ceasefire agreement will include several clauses:[36][38][39]

  1. Hezbollah, or any other armed movement in Lebanon, will not carry out any offensive action against Israel.
  2. Israel will not carry out any offensive action against targets in Lebanon, including on the ground, in the air and at sea.
  3. Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
  4. The Lebanese army and the Lebanese security forces will be the only armed groups authorized to operate in southern Lebanon.
  5. Sale, supply and production of weapons in Lebanon will be under the supervision and control of the Lebanese government.
  6. All unauthorized facilities involved in the production of weapons and their accessories will be dismantled, as well as infrastructure and military positions. Unauthorized weapons that do not comply with these obligations will be confiscated.
  7. A committee will be established that will be acceptable to Israel and Lebanon, which will supervise and assist in ensuring the enforcement of the agreement. The enforcement will involve, among others, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
  8. Israel and Lebanon will report any possible violation of the commitments to the aforementioned committee and UNIFIL.
  9. Lebanese military forces will be deployed along all borders and crossing points in the country.
  10. Israel will gradually withdraw its forces into Israeli territory in a period of up to 60 days.
  11. During this period of time, Hezbollah operatives will withdraw to the north of the Litani River, while the armed forces that will be allowed to stay in this area will be the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UNIFIL force.
  12. Israel will retain "complete military freedom of action" to attack Lebanon in the event of a violation of the agreement by Hezbollah or another entity in Lebanon.
  13. A buffer zone will not be established between the villages of South Lebanon and the settlements on the conflict line.
  14. The US will promote indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon to reach a recognized land border.

According to Lebanese reports, a Lebanese government source reported that if no escalations or breaches of the agreement occur by 10 a.m. local time on November 27, 2024, the ceasefire agreement will go into effect.[38][39] Prime Minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati issued strong support for the agreement and urged the international community to help implement the agreement immediately in order to "halt Israeli aggression".[36]

Violations

On 28 November, 2024, the Lebanese army accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by launching an airstrike and shelling several Lebanese villages.[40] Two Lebanese were wounded by Israeli tank fire.[41] The Israeli airstrike reportedly happened north of the Litani river, which is not included in the ceasefire agreement.[41] Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah militants, whom it accused of "terrorist activity". As of 28 November, there were no reports of Hezbollah launching any strikes since the ceasefire went into effect.[40]

Hassan Fadlallah, a member of the Lebanese Parliament, said Israel targeted civilians seeking to return home.[42] On 27 November, Nabih Berri, who negotiated the agreement from the Lebanese side, had told Lebanese refugees that they could return home. Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu instructed the Israeli army not to allow refugees back to their villages near the border.[42] The IDF fired warning shots at vehicles approaching Kafr Kila, shot several people in Mais al-Jabal, and detained four Lebanese citizens it claimed were Hezbollah members.[43] Despite the warnings, thousands of displaced Lebanese families began to return to their homes in southern Lebanon.[44]

Reactions

Lebanon

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for unity in Lebanon after the "most cruel phase in Lebanese history", stressing that the Lebanese army should provide security in southern Lebanon and that Israel abides by the deal and withdraws from Lebanese territory. He said that he hoped for a "new page" after the ceasefire.[45]

Israel

In a public announcement on Israeli television following deliberation of the ceasefire terms, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted his support for the deal on the basis that a ceasefire would allow the Israeli Defense Forces to focus primarily on Gaza Strip operations against Hamas and towards the "Iranian threat". He stated that "we are changing the face of the region".[36]

He further stated that the ceasefire was considered due to claimed Israeli success in the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon because Hezbollah was "no longer the same group that launched a war against us", and that the Israeli Defense Forces had "set them back decades". He stated that the Israeli army had achieved many of its goals in the invasion and airstrikes by killing most of Hezbollah's leadership and destroying large numbers of Lebanese infrastructure linked to them.[36]

Former Israeli consul-general and ambassador Alon Pinkas deemed the deal "unenforceable" due to it assuming that the Lebanese army will supervise weapon production and distribution. He described this assumption as "impossible" due to Hezbollah's independence from the Lebanese army in weapon distribution and inability to cooperate.[36]

Israeli Security Minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir expressed dissatisfaction with the ceasefire deal due to it not providing Israel with a "security belt", not allowing Israelis to return to Northern Israel, and not providing the Lebanese army resistance against Hezbollah.[36]

Middle East

  •  Iran: Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghael welcomed the ceasefire agreement hoping it would end Israeli attacks on Lebanon.[46]
  •  Palestinian Authority: The Palestinian presidency expressed hope that the ceasefire will "contribute to stopping the violence and instability that the region is suffering from."[45]
    •  Hamas: Hamas stated that it is "committed to cooperating with any effort to reach a ceasefire in Gaza," and that it "appreciates" Hezbollah's right to form a deal protecting Lebanese people.[45]
    • Several Palestinian citizens expressed significant concern over the potential ceasefire agreement allowing Israel to direct all its military forces towards bombardments and invasions in the Gaza Strip, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis.[47]

Al Jazeera political analyst Marwan Bishara called the deal a "very temporary, fragile truce" due to it allowing Israel to resume military operations at any perceived provocation by Hezbollah and Israel's continued commitment to breaking down Hezbollah.[36]

International

  •  United States: Secretary of State Antony Blinken, praised the agreement and spoke with optimism that this ceasefire could also be a framework for a ceasefire in Gaza.[48] President Joe Biden and President of France Emmanuel Macron released a joint statement praising the agreement, saying that it will "secure Israel from the threat of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanon".[49]
  •  United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised a "long overdue" ceasefire that would "provide some measure of relief to the civilian populations" of Lebanon and Israel.[45]
  •  Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered his support for the ceasefire and stressed the importance that all sides stick "to what has been agreed".[50]
  •  Pakistan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the ceasefire and called for security for the Lebanese people.[51] Pakistan also called for an end to the Israeli attacks in Gaza.[51]
  •  Sri Lanka: The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement stating "We remain hopeful that the ceasefire will pave the way for enduring peace and stability in Lebanon and the region".[52]
  •  United Nations: A top official confirmed the ceasefire and warned that "considerable work lies ahead" to implement the ceasefire deal.[45]

See also

References

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  2. ^ Geller, Adam (26 November 2024). "What to know about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah". AP News. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Rasmussen, Sune Engel (27 November 2024). "The Impossible Mission to Enforce an Israel-Hezbollah Cease-Fire". The Wall Street Journal.
  4. ^ a b c Diamond, Jeremy; Edwards, Christian; Qiblawi, Tamara; Yosef, Eugenia (26 November 2024). "Israeli security cabinet approves Lebanon ceasefire deal, after 11th-hour strikes on central Beirut". CNN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  5. ^ Picheta, Rob; Robinson, Lou; Pettersson, Henrik; Warnes, Soph (27 November 2024). "A visual guide to Israel and Hezbollah's ceasefire deal". CNN. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
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  51. ^ a b "Pakistan welcomes ceasefire announcement between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah". Arab News PK. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  52. ^ "Sri Lanka welcomes ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
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