U.S. envoy arrives in Beirut amid efforts to end Israeli-Hezbollah conflict

BEIRUT, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) — U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said here on Monday that both Lebanon and Israel’s commitment to UN Resolution 1701 is no longer enough, and the United States is working with the Lebanese and Israeli governments to reach an agreement that would put an end to the conflict in southern Lebanon once and for all.
“We are working on a formula or mechanisms that do not only stop the conflict temporarily, but put an end to it for good, and allow people in both countries to return to their homes and reach a new phase of prosperity,” Hochstein said at a press conference in Beirut following his meeting with Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri.
UN Resolution 1701 ended the previous round of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in 2006, calling for southern Lebanon to be free of any troops or weapons other than those of the Lebanese state.
While UN Resolution 1701 successfully ended the Hezbollah-Israeli war in 2006, nobody did anything to implement it, said Hochstein, adding that the failure to implement it contributed to the crisis today.
He emphasized that the goal is to build confidence on both sides that the resolution will be carried out and to ensure that the conflict is halted.
Hochstein also met with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who stressed that “the priority is to cease fire and fully implement UN Resolution 1701 as it is the main pillar of stability in the region.”
Since Sept. 23, the Israeli army has launched an intensive air attack on Lebanon, marking a dangerous escalation with Hezbollah.
Israel intensified its raids and shelling in southern and eastern regions of Lebanon, as well as Mount Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. Earlier this month, Israel announced the launch of a ground operation near the border with southern Lebanon. ■