US envoy Amos Hochstein, who helped broker the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, announced on Wednesday that “an American team associated with the monitoring committee of the ceasefire agreement will arrive in Beirut this evening” (Wednesday night).
“We must support the Lebanese army, economy and people, or we will return to this military conflict” with Israel, he warned, during an online briefing with the Lebanese-American community.
Commenting on the ceasefire agreement, the fruit of negotiations he himself conducted with both parties as special envoy of President Joe Biden, Hochstein stressed that “this is not a 60-day truce, but a permanent ceasefire”. According to him, the 60-day period offers enough time for the Lebanese army to deploy in the south.
He also said that “the Lebanese must play their part, and Parliament must meet to elect a president and form a new government with full powers.”
In response to a question about possible violations of the agreement, Hochstein asserted that “they will be dealt with immediately by the Lebanese army.” “We will not allow South Lebanon to remain a breeding ground for terrorist groups”, he insisted, recalling that the Lebanese government has given the green light to the deployment of the army in the southern part of the country and to the dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure. “The army must accomplish its mission,” he said.
As for the recovery phase that awaits Lebanon, the American advisor sees it as having two components: reconstruction and the return of investments.
“It's time for Lebanon to open up once again to the Gulf States, which will help it to emerge from its crisis”, alongside international aid, he argued. Hochstein also felt that Lebanon should work to restore the confidence of foreign investors, to encourage them to invest in the country again, thereby contributing to its economic growth.
Comments