During a recent visit to Beirut, US envoy Amos Hochstein emphasized the need for a more robust enforcement of UN Security Council resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. Hochstein expressed that merely reaffirming commitment to the resolution is insufficient and called for concrete actions to ensure its implementation.
Resolution 1701, which facilitated the cessation of hostilities in 2006, outlined key provisions such as a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon and the requirement for Hezbollah to retreat north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. Additionally, the resolution mandated that only the Lebanese military should maintain positions in the region between the Litani River and Israel.
Hochstein underscored the importance of adhering to resolution 1701 as the guiding framework for achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. He stressed the necessity of establishing mechanisms that instill confidence in the implementation of the resolution.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has reiterated his government's commitment to fulfilling the requirements of resolution 1701 by deploying additional troops from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to southern Lebanon.
The US is currently leveraging Israeli military pressure in Lebanon to push for a more substantial enforcement of resolution 1701. A senior US official highlighted the objective of reinstating a strengthened LAF presence in southern Lebanon as part of the efforts to ensure compliance with the resolution.
