A senior Lebanese official told Reuters that "Lebanon is seeking to introduce modifications to the US proposal for a ceasefire in order to ensure a faster withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and to grant both sides the right to self-defense."
The modifications Lebanon is seeking to introduce suggest that US envoy Amos Hochstein still needs to make efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement, which he said was "within our reach" during a visit to Beirut on Tuesday.
The Lebanese official mentioned to Reuters that "the Lebanese side emphasizes the need for an immediate withdrawal as soon as the ceasefire is declared so that the Lebanese Army can deploy in all areas and allow displaced people to return to their homes immediately." The official added that Israel's position is to withdraw within 60 days of announcing the truce.
The Lebanese official further explained that the current draft of the agreement refers to Israel's withdrawal from "Lebanese borders," but Lebanon insists on specifying "Lebanese borders" to ensure the full and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, rather than a partial one. The official also stated that Lebanon is pushing for a wording to be included in the proposal that would guarantee both sides' right to self-defense, although specific details were not provided.
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