KABUL (SW) – While the Israeli forces continue their ground offensive in Lebanon, Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States, last week signed a ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah during a meeting with Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs.
Trump expressed hope that the plan would be implemented before the transfer of power from Joe Biden. The draft proposal for the ceasefire agreement was presented on Thursday of last week by the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon to Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament.
Senior Hezbollah officials have stated that the Lebanese government is currently evaluating the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire. On the other hand, Ali Larijani, an advisor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has said that Iran supports any decision aimed at establishing a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Some international relations experts, noting Donald Trump’s electoral slogan of ending conflicts in the Middle East, say that effective U.S. intervention could lead to a ceasefire in the region, including between Israel and Hezbollah.
Ahmad Mujtaba Nasrat, an international relations expert, says: “The U.S. is practically present there and is forced to work towards a ceasefire. It is a positive step that the war between Hezbollah and Israel could be scaled down. With Trump in power, the U.S. can help de-escalate this war.”
So far, efforts to establish a ceasefire between Israel and other parties in the conflict, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have not been successful.
In the latest attempt to establish a ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited Pakistan on November 4 and discussed the regional situation with officials from the country.
Some international relations experts say that issues such as the intervention of global powers in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the lack of consensus among the conflicting parties on how to stop the fighting, could make it difficult to reach a ceasefire.
Mohammad Siyam Halim, an international relations expert, says that with Trump’s return to power, there will be no change in U.S. policy towards Israel. He adds: “As long as both sides do not reach a common strategic benefit or face excessive costs, achieving a lasting ceasefire will be difficult. With Trump back in power, a lasting peace in the Middle East is unlikely. Because during his previous presidency, Israel enjoyed strong U.S. support.”
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on parts of Lebanon, especially the southern regions, continue. Since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, 3,445 Lebanese citizens have lost their lives, and 14,599 have been wounded.
