A senior American official is backing Israel's stance on the conditions required to end the conflict affecting northen Israel, stating, "We cannot return to the status quo of October 6. A ceasefire with Lebanon alone is not enough, because Hezbollah will return to the border."
The American official spoke at the MEAD conference, which concluded yesterday in Washington, emphasizing that to prevent a scenario where Israel faces an invasion from the Lebanese border, "an agreement is needed that will prevent Hezbollah's return to the border." He added that beyond the security arrangements at the border itself, additional components are necessary in the agreement to ensure its enforcement and implementation—unlike UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted at the end of the Second Lebanon War but, according to him, "both sides failed to implement."
The American official said that a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah can be prevented, but if it breaks out, the price will be heavy for both sides. "Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, will die. There will be severe infrastructure damage. On your side (Israel), Hezbollah won't be easily destroyed, and you likely won't achieve most of your objectives. The war will last a long time, and many people on both sides will die. The residents of northern Israel won't be returning home anytime soon, and such a war will eventually end with an agreement similar to the one we are now trying to reach. That's why we are working to secure this agreement now."
