Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 26.11.2024
The full draft of the agreement that is being formed between Israel and Lebanon was published.
It entails the retreat of Hezbollah north of the Litani, and the army of Lebanon under imperialist control will be in South Lebanon. Hamas will be deserted, and Iran gave its approval and pressured Hezbollah to agree. Hezbollah was under pressure from other parties in Lebanon and by the Western imperialists. Israel plans to settle North Gaza. We oppose this agreement that serves Israel and American imperialism.
The following are the details of the agreement[i]:
“Announcement of a Cessation of Hostilities and Related Commitments on Enhanced Security Arrangements and Toward the Implementation of UNSCR 1701
After discussions with the governments of the Republic of Lebanon (hereinafter “Lebanon”) and the State of Israel (hereinafter “Israel”), the United States of America [and X] understand[s] that Lebanon and Israel urgently seek a sustainable end to the current escalation of hostilities across the Blue Line and are each prepared to take steps to promote conditions for a permanent and comprehensive solution. These understandings reflect steps to which Israel and Lebanon are committed in order to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701, recognizing that UNSCR 1701 also calls for full implementation of relevant provisions of UNSCR 1559, including disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon. To that end, the United States [and X] understand[s] the following:
1. Israel and Lebanon will implement a full cessation of hostilities beginning at [TIME] hours, [DATE] in accordance with the commitments detailed below.
2. From [TIME] hours, [DATE] forward, Hezbollah and all other armed groups in the territory of Lebanon will not carry out operations against Israel, and Israel will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including Hezbollah or other entities in the territory of Lebanon by land, air, or sea.
3. Israel and Lebanon recognize the importance of UNSCR 1701 in achieving lasting peace and security and commit to steps toward its full implementation.
4. These commitments do not preclude either Israel or Lebanon from exercising their inherent right of self-defense.
5. Without prejudice to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and its responsibilities, Lebanon’s official military forces, infrastructure, and weaponry will be the only armed groups and assets deployed south of the line in Annex A.
6. Consistent with UNSCR 1701, in order to prevent the reestablishment and rearmament of non-state armed groups in Lebanon, any sales or supply of arms and related materiel into Lebanon will be regulated and controlled by the Government of Lebanon. Additionally, all production of arms and related materiel within Lebanon will be regulated and controlled by the Government of Lebanon.
7. In order to implement UNSCR 1701, the Government of Lebanon will provide all necessary authorities to and instruct Lebanon’s security forces, including the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), to:
a. Monitor and enforce any unregulated entry of arms and related materiel into Lebanon, including through all border crossings, and to areas south of the line in Annex A.
b. Monitor and enforce any unregulated facilities involved in the production of arms and related materiel and dismantle all existing such facilities.
c. Dismantle all infrastructure inconsistent with these commitments and confiscate all unregulated arms according to these Understandings south of the line in Annex A.
Implementation
8. Once the full cessation of hostilities begins on [TIME hours, DATE], an initial 60-day period to implement the commitments set out in paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 10, and 13 of this announcement will commence.
9. No longer than seven days after the cessation of hostilities begins on [TIME hours, DATE], Israel will withdraw any remaining Israeli forces from Lebanon in a phased manner, and the LAF will deploy to positions in the area identified in Annex A. The IDF’s phased withdrawal and the LAF’s deployment into those areas will be facilitated by a UNIFIL tripartite mechanism, in coordination with the United States and [X].
10. No longer than [X] days after the cessation of hostilities begins on [TIME hours, DATE], the LAF will also deploy forces to all borders and all regulated and non-regulated land, air, and sea border crossings.
11. During the initial 60-day implementation period, Lebanon will steadily increase the number of LAF deployed in southern Lebanon.
12. The United States [and X] intend to work with a Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L) member countries and regional partners to enable and achieve a total LAF deployment of 10,000 soldiers to southern Lebanon over time. Further, the United States [and X] intend to work with the international community to support the LAF as appropriate to achieve such an increase in its deployment levels in southern Lebanon, and improve its capabilities.
13. During the initial 60-day implementation period, Israel, Lebanon, the United States, and [X] resolve to develop and establish the [International/Independent] Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanism (IMEM) [as described in Annex B] for the purpose of monitoring implementation of the cessation of hostilities and related commitments. Israel and Lebanon will report any alleged violations of the commitments set out in paragraphs [1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11] to the IMEM and UNIFIL. The IMEM will develop appropriate procedures, including to consult, inspect, gather information, and [recommend][take] action to address violations [as described in Annex B].
14. During the initial 60-day implementation period, Lebanon will dismantle and confiscate all military assets, arms, and infrastructure of all non-state armed groups south of the line in Annex A, and [report][engage] with the IMEM on such confiscated material as described in Annex B.
15. Immediately at the conclusion of the initial 60-day implementation period, the IMEM, with input from Israel and Lebanon, will assess progress to date on implementation of the commitments set out above, and the full cessation of hostilities will become permanent.
16. Israel and Lebanon request that, immediately at the conclusion of the initial 60-day implementation period, the United States, with the partnership of the United Nations and the international community, facilitate indirect negotiations between Israel and Lebanon with the objective of reaching full implementation of UNSCR 1701 and resolving the outstanding disputed points on the Blue Line.
The United States [and X] understand that the above commitments and understandings will be announced by Israel and Lebanon concurrently with this announcement.
These understandings and commitments strive to improve life for civilians on both sides of the Blue Line. With this aim in mind, the United States [and X] further intend to lead international efforts to support capacity-building and economic development throughout Lebanon to advance stability and prosperity in this region.
Proposed [International/Independent] Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanism for the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities and Related Commitments between Israel and Lebanon
Composition
1. The [international/independent] monitoring mechanism will be chaired by the United States and will also include permanent representatives who will be present in the region from the United States, MTC member countries, UNIFIL, and [regional countries approved by both Israel and Lebanon].
Monitoring
2. The [international/independent] monitoring mechanism will be responsible for monitoring implementation and ensuring Israel and Lebanon’s compliance with the full cessation of hostilities and related commitments. Israel and Lebanon will report to the mechanism and to UNIFIL any alleged violations of the commitments set out in paragraphs [X] of the commitments. The mechanism will consult with Israel and Lebanon on reported violations, conduct additional investigations or information-gathering as appropriate, and advance the resolution of alleged violations within a reasonable time period. The mechanism will also develop procedures and measures, including inspections or other measures as appropriate.
Enforcement
3. The LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) and other Lebanese government security agencies are responsible for enforcing Lebanon’s implementation of the full cessation of hostilities and related commitments. As described in the commitments, the United States will work with the international community to support the LAF as appropriate to further increase the size, strength, capacity, and effectiveness of its forces deployed in Lebanon north of the Blue Line, in order to advance the Government of Lebanon’s ability to exercise effective control over all of Lebanon’s territory and to enforce Lebanon’s commitments.
Incentives and Sanctions
4. The mechanism will be prepared to impose consequences for violations, including by imposing financial sanctions and incentives and diplomatic measures, as appropriate, in order to advance the implementation of the cessation of hostilities and related commitments.
5. While recognizing that it is in Israel’s interest to enable the IMEM to effectively address violations, and for UNSCR 1701 to be fully implemented, the United States also recognizes Israel may choose to act against violations of the Commitments in the event all other efforts to address those violations consistent with paragraphs [3 through 6] above have failed. The United States understands that Israel’s policies regarding responding to threats from the territory of Lebanon when such other efforts have failed will be as follows:
a) In the area identified in Annex A of the Commitments, Israel retains the right to act in self-defense against imminent threats to Israel.
b) Threats emanating from near the border will be addressed with the greatest urgency.
c) Outside the area identified in Annex A of the Commitments, Israel retains the right to act in self-defense against developing threats, should the Government of Lebanon and the IMEM fail to avert or address them. Such threats include the production, storage, or transportation of heavy weaponry; ballistic, medium-, and long-range missiles; and other advanced weaponry.
d) Israeli strikes in self-defense as outlined in 7a through 7c above will be [discussed/taken only after consultation] with the United States and at all times will avoid civilian casualties and civilian infrastructure to the maximum extent possible.
e) Israeli flights over Lebanon will be for purposes of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance only, and will not be visible to the naked eye to the degree possible. Israeli flights will not break the sound barrier to the civilian population of Lebanon. Any flights over Lebanon for purposes of defensive military operations against imminent or developing threats will only be conducted when necessary and consistent with the subparagraphs above.
6 The United States recognizes the importance that the Blue Line serves as the starting point for any future determination and international recognition of the international border between Israel and Lebanon.
Main Elements of the Side Letter Between the U.S. and Israel
Further to the Announcement of a Cessation of Hostilities and Related Commitments of the State of Israel and the Republic of Lebanon on Enhanced Security Arrangements and Toward the Implementation of UNSCR 1701 (hereafter “the Commitments”), as well as the Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanism [proposal][that will be developed] to implement the Commitments, the United States and Israel understand the following:
1. Israel has an inherent right to defend itself [consistent with international law] and maintain security along its Northern border, including taking action against imminent threats to Israel’s security.
2. The United States affirms its support for Israel working towards implementation of UNSCR 1701 to ensure Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups cannot reconstitute their forces, weapons, and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
3. As described in the Commitments, the United States is prepared to chair the Independent Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanism (IMEM), and to designate a senior officer of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and a senior national security official to serve in that role.
4. The United States, as chair of the IMEM, expects to lead and guide the IMEM to support Lebanon’s state security forces in effectively addressing violations of the Commitments.
5. Israel and the United States intend to share, through appropriate channels, sensitive intelligence relating to violations or suspected violations of the Commitments, including any infiltration by Hezbollah or other non-state armed groups into the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
The United States may, with Israel’s consent, share information provided by Israel with mutually determined third parties (the Lebanese Government and/or the IMEM) to enable them to address the violation.
6. The United States reaffirms its commitment to work with Israel and other partners to confront Iran’s destabilizing activities in Lebanon [through appropriate means], including to prevent Iran, its proxies”
What can be learned from this long war is:
- Israel could not win against Hamas!
- Its image as a powerful democratic state has been broken!
- We cannot trust Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Ayatollahs not to betray the struggle.
- The solution will come with the Arab revolution led by the working class led by a revolutionary party.
No to the Israeli-Lebanon agreement!
For the Arab revolution!
Down with the Zionist monster and its imperialist supporters!
For Palestine, red and free from the river to the sea!
For Palestine as part of the socialist federation of the Middle East!
[i] https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/middleeastnews/811248/full-details-of-the-lebanon-israel-draft-agreement-unveiled-here-is-th/en