Limor Simhony Philpott

An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire will never last

The southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun (Getty Images)

Could this long round of armed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah finally come to an end? It’s too early to know for sure, but all signs seem to point in this direction.

Lebanon and Hezbollah have reportedly agreed yesterday to a US ceasefire proposal. American envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut today to finalise a deal between the sides. It seems that there’s an agreement on most issues, and Hochstein’s role is to tie up a few loose ends.

Even if an agreement is reached, it would only be a temporary solution

According to the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah will have to abide by UN Security Resolution 1701 from 2006. It stipulates that Hezbollah cannot have armed presence in southern Lebanon – south of the Litani river. The only remaining armed forces in south Lebanon would be the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese army. After 60 days, if the terms are upheld, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will withdraw.

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