By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-21 07:36:12 | Updated at 2024-11-21 09:58:09
2 hours ago
Israeli officials demanded the freedom to strike Lebanon’s Hezbollah as part of any ceasefire deal, raising a potential complication as a top US envoy was in the region attempting to clinch an agreement.
The development came as an air strike on Wednesday hit the historic Syrian town of Palmyra, killing 36 people, according to Syrian state-run media, which blamed the attack on Israel. The Israeli military declined to comment.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar each said Israel sought to reserve the right to respond to any violations by Hezbollah under an emerging proposal, which would push the militant group’s fighters and Israeli ground forces out of a UN buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
There have been signs of progress on the ceasefire deal and on Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the Lebanese militant group supports the ongoing negotiations but has “some reservations” and rejects a provision for “freedom of movement” for Israeli troops in Lebanon.
“In any agreement we will reach, we will have to maintain our freedom to act if there will be violations,” Israeli Foreign Minister Saar told diplomats in Jerusalem.
