Tel Aviv, Nov 26 (IANS) The Israeli cabinet will meet to discuss a ceasefire deal with Lebanon at the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, media reported citing a minister’s office, which comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his “in principle” approval to the plan
The meeting is scheduled to take place between 5:30 to 9 p.m. (local time), CNN reported.
Netanyahu signalled his potential approval for the emerging ceasefire with Hezbollah during a security consultation with Israeli officials on Sunday night.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson said the Israeli cabinet will vote on the proposed deal on Tuesday and it is expected to pass.
The report, however, said that Israel still has reservations over some details of the agreement, which were expected to be transmitted to the Lebanese government on Monday, adding that “those and other details are still being negotiated and multiple sources stressed that the agreement will not be final until all issues are resolved”.
CNN reported citing sources familiar with the negotiations that the talks appear to be moving positively toward an agreement but acknowledged that as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade fire, one misstep could upend the talks.
Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has expressed strong opposition to the deal, calling it a “big mistake” and a “historic missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah”.
Ben Gvir has also long worked to thwart potential ceasefire deals between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Benny Gantz, who resigned from Israel’s war cabinet in June over Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, called on the Prime Minister to make the details of the ceasefire deal public.
“It is the right of the residents of the north, the fighters, and the citizens of Israel to know,” Gantz said.
Last week, US envoy Amos Hochstein said in Beirut that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon was “within our grasp,” but that it was ultimately “the decision of the parties”.
Later Monday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that Hochstein’s discussions had been “constructive”.
He said the Biden administration believes “the trajectory of this is going in a very positive direction,” but cautioned “nothing is done until everything is done”.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was similarly cautious, telling reporters on Monday that just because an agreement is “close” does not mean it will happen. He said the process had been “incredibly frustrating”.
Israel’s Home Front Command also warned of a heightened risk of Hezbollah rocket fire before Tuesday’s crucial vote, and on Monday updated its defensive guidelines for several parts of northern Israel.
Israel and Lebanon have been engaged in a prolonged conflict that began on October 8 last year, when Hezbollah attacked Israeli-controlled territory in solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by CNN.
–IANS
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