Committee overseeing Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire set to meet in bid to strengthen truce

US and French military generals have arrived in Lebanon to ensure ceasefire holds

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An international committee tasked with overseeing a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel will meet formally for the first time on Friday to strengthen the truce, which has been repeatedly broken by Israel since taking effect last week.

Committee member and French military representative Brig Gen Guillaume Ponchin met Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut on Thursday afternoon. Mr Mikati said Israel had breached the ceasefire more than 60 times by firing on Lebanon. US Maj Gen Jasper Jeffers, co-chairman of the panel, arrived in Lebanon last week.

Lebanon's lead negotiator, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, told Maj Gen Jeffers that "the stability of the ceasefire depends on Israel’s behaviour”, a source close to talks between Lebanese officials and the US told The National.

“Speaker Berri’s meeting with General Jeffers ahead of the committee’s meeting aims to affirm Lebanon’s stance rejecting Israel’s attempts to impose a free engagement framework that allows it to attack Lebanon under its own security pretexts and to solidify this stance within the 60-day ceasefire period," the source said.

The free engagement framework refers to Israel's insistence that it should be able to launch new strikes against Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the truce.

At least 12 people have been killed in Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect, with both sides accusing each other of breaches.

On Monday evening Hezbollah launched two projectiles towards empty fields in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, viewed by Lebanon as its territory. No casualties were reported. Hezbollah said it was a defensive measure in response to Israel's repeated violations of the ceasefire.

In the southern city of Tyre, which was subjected to intense bombing before the truce, the Lebanese cabinet will meet at the Benoit Barakat Barracks on Saturday. Getty

"Continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon threaten the ceasefire and hinder the return and stability of civilians in their villages," the source added. "Lebanon remains committed to the terms of the agreement, strengthening army deployments in the south, and, for the safety of residents, has closed the entrances to villages the Israeli army requested civilians not to return to until its forces begin their withdrawal."

In the southern city of Tyre, which was subjected to intense bombing before the truce, the Lebanese cabinet will meet at the Benoit Barakat Barracks on Saturday. Information Minister Ziad Makary said Lebanese army commander Gen Joseph Aoun was expected to outline how the army would increase its presence in the south to enforce the ceasefire.

Under the deal, Israel has 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon while thousands of Lebanese army soldiers move into the area. Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure must move north of the Litani River.

The ceasefire is based around UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was agreed in 2006 to end the last war between Hezbollah and Israel but was never fully introduced.

“Lebanon agreed to the ceasefire, and the resistance does not wish for the resumption of fighting, but it will not allow the violations to continue," a source close to Hezbollah told The National. "The international committee must act on its responsibilities today.

"Co-ordination between Hezbollah and the Lebanese army is substantial, and the resistance is an integral part of the political and social fabric of the community," the source added.

Other members of the committee overseeing the ceasefire include representatives from Israel and the UN peacekeeping mission Unifil.

Deploying the Lebanese soldiers to the border area will not be an easy task and the military has launched a recruitment drive.

“The Lebanese army has indicated its instant readiness to initiate and take on its responsibilities to implement this agreement and resolution 1701,” Gen Mounir Shehadeh, who until recently was the Lebanese government's co-ordinator with Unifil, told The National.

He said 1,500 soldiers had headed south as soon as the ceasefire was announced.

The army must dismantle all Hezbollah centres south of the Litani that are involved in the production of arms and related materials, and prevent the establishment of such facilities in the future.

The US and France have been working to enhance the army's capabilities to help enable the deployment of 10,000 troops to the south as soon as possible.

While the military is one of the few universally respected state institutions in Lebanon, it is severely underfunded. The government is banking on the US, EU and Arab nations to provide it with aid.

Last week regional security sources said Arab donors were considering a joint training initiative led by Egypt and Jordan to prepare Lebanese troops for deployment in southern Lebanon and along the Syrian border. A Lebanese political source also suggested an Arab country might join the committee overseeing the ceasefire.

On Thursday night Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said displaced people in Lebanon who had their homes completely destroyed by Israel will receive between $12,000 and $14,000 from the group over the next year.

For those whose primary residence was completely destroyed in Beirut, they will receive $6,000 to cover their rent as their home is rebuilt. For those outside the city, the figure will be $4,000.

Regardless of location, everyone whose home was destroyed will receive $8,000 to replace damaged possessions, Mr Qassem said.

It was his second speech since a ceasefire was agreed between Hezbollah and Israel last week.

The newly appointed Hezbollah secretary-general said the bulk of the money would come as a gift from Iran, the group’s main backer.

Mr Qassem’s predecessor Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated by Israel in a huge bombardment of Beirut in September.

More than 1.2 million people were displaced across Lebanon by Israel’s war on the country. The majority of them were forced to leave their homes when Israel massively ramped up its bombardment in September.