Israel poised to approve ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israeli official says

(Reuters)

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Nov 26 – Israel looks set to approve a U.S. plan for a ceasefire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah on Tuesday, a senior Israeli official said, clearing the way for an end to the war which has killed thousands of people since it was ignited by the Gaza conflict 14 months ago.

Israel’s security cabinet is expected to convene later on Tuesday to discuss and likely approve the text at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the official said.

This would pave the way for a ceasefire declaration by U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, four senior Lebanese sources told Reuters on Monday.

In Washington, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday, “We’re close” but “nothing is done until everything is done”. The French presidency said discussions on a ceasefire had made significant progress.

The agreement has already won approval in Beirut, where Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker official told Reuters on Monday there were no serious obstacles left to start implementing it – unless Netanyahu changed his mind.

Netanyahu’s office declined on Monday to comment on reports that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to the text of a deal.

Hezbollah, seen as a terrorist group by Washington, has endorsed its ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to negotiate.