Israeli Cabinet to Convene Today to Discuss Ceasefire Agreement with Lebanon

According to the spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister, the Israeli security cabinet will convene today to discuss the details of a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement with Lebanon to halt the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Intensive negotiations last week brought the two countries closer to an agreement, but according to Israeli, Lebanese, and Western officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unstable talks, the deal has not yet been finalized as of Monday.

One of the main points of contention is whether Israel will be allowed to continue striking targets it perceives as threats in Lebanon.

A Western official stated that Israel and Lebanon reached a preliminary understanding on the terms of the agreement ahead of the cabinet meeting. The official also mentioned that the agreement, in its current form, would involve France's role. The official added that Israel has been attempting to exclude France in recent days due to its anger over the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants issued against Israeli leaders last week.