Israel demands freedom to continue fighting Hezbollah along the border, access to Lebanese airspace.
By World Israel News Staff
Israel provided the U.S. last week with a list of demands to end fighting against the Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah, according to a report from Axios.
Two Israeli officials and two American officials relayed the demands for a ceasefire to the outlet, which were mostly focused on ensuring that Israel maintains the right to continue military action against Hezbollah.
Jerusalem is demanding “active enforcement” against Hezbollah, presumably meaning that it can engage Hezbollah military to ensure it does not rebuild its terror infrastructure along the border.
The Israeli Air Force also wants continued access to Lebanese airspace.
A Biden administration official said it was “highly unlikely” that the international community and Lebanon would accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.
The White House and U.S. State Department did not respond to media requests asking to confirm the report.
The report comes as U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Amos Hochstein is set to visit Beirut on Monday in an attempt to secure a diplomatic solution to end the conflict.
International criticism of Israel’s war against Hezbollah has ramped up in recent days, as the IDF has destroyed UNIFIL outposts in southern Lebanon.
Israel has argued that UNIFIL has failed to enforce UN Resolution 1701, which mandates that Hezbollah forces cannot be present south of the Litani River.
Therefore, UNIFIL troops must withdraw from the area in order to enable the IDF to clear the region of Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure.
In a Sunday phone call, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed to Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump that Israel will not bow to international pressure, including from Washington, regarding its prosecution of the war.
Netanyahu “reiterated what he has also said publicly: Israel takes into account the issues the U.S. administration raises, but in the end, will make its decisions based on its national interests,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
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