Hochstein Urges Hezbollah: Limit Attacks to Shebaa

White House envoy Amos Hochstein is visiting Paris on Wednesday to meet with Macron’s Lebanon envoy, Jean-Yves Le Drian, following his visits to Israel and Lebanon in June.

During his visit, Hochstein engaged with Lebanese politicians to discuss a ceasefire on the Lebanon-Israel border. He also requested, through intermediaries, that Hezbollah exert pressure on Hamas to agree to a ceasefire and hostage-exchange proposal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden. However, Hezbollah rejected this request.

Hochstein additionally urged Hezbollah to limit its attacks to the occupied Shebaa Farms, according to the pro-Hezbollah newspaper al-Akhbar. Maintaining calm along the border would allow displaced Lebanese and Israelis to return to their border villages.

Hezbollah has stated that the only guaranteed way to achieve a ceasefire on the Lebanon-Israel border is through a complete ceasefire in Gaza.

Ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have stalled in recent weeks, increasing fears of an escalation on the Lebanon-Israel front. Hezbollah and Israeli forces have exchanged near-daily strikes along their border over the past nine months.

The ongoing low-level conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has displaced tens of thousands on both sides of the border. In northern Israel, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed; in Lebanon, more than 450 people — mostly fighters but also dozens of civilians — have lost their lives.