US Envoy seeks to prevent larger war between Israel and Hezbollah
Shafaq News/ The US Special Envoy to Lebanon, Amos Hochstein, stated on Tuesday that Washington is striving to avoid a "larger war" following recent escalations in cross-border fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military.
Describing the situation along the Lebanon-Israel border as "dangerous," Hochstein said this was the reason US President Joe Biden dispatched him to Lebanon.
Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday morning for a one-day visit, after a brief trip to Israel. During his visit, he met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and he is scheduled to meet with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.
Hochstein emphasized that the region is experiencing difficult times, noting that Biden's proposed ceasefire in Gaza has been accepted by mediators and Israel, and urged Hamas to accept it as well.
"A ceasefire ends the war and opens the way for diplomatic solutions, which could also resolve the conflict along the Blue Line," Hochstein stated.
After meeting with Berri, Hochstein remarked, "The conflict along the Blue Line between Hezbollah and Israel has continued for too long. Innocent civilians are dying, properties are being damaged, Lebanon's economy is declining, and the country is suffering without a valid reason. It is in everyone's interest to find decisive solutions."
Hochstein affirmed that "calm at the border will allow residents to return to southern Lebanon and northern Israel." He explained that his discussions in Beirut and Israel aim to "prevent further escalation and the expansion of the war."
