MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Netanyahu announces 60-day truce with Hezbollah

Netanyahu deemed this decision appropriate to focus on the Iranian threat while renewing Israel's forces and targeting Hamas

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday a 60-day ceasefire in Lebanon with Hezbollah. However, his country will maintain “freedom of action” if the understanding is violated.

If the terrorist organization “launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings a truck with missiles, we will attack,” he stressed. “The duration of the cease-fire will depend on what happens in Lebanon and we will maintain full freedom of movement,” he also explained.

Netanyahu also mentioned a “full understanding with the United States” in this regard. So “if Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to renew terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack.” The Prime Minister also recalled a truce with Hamas in the Gaza Strip to free some hostages a year ago, after which he had no qualms about “attacking again and renewing the war.”

“Some say that Hezbollah will remain silent for one or two years, strengthen itself, and then attack us. But Hezbollah will not only violate the ceasefire if it fires on us, it will also do so when it tries to arm itself to attack us in the future. For every violation of theirs, we will respond firmly,” Netanyahu warned as he deemed this decision appropriate to focus on the Iranian threat while renewing Israel's forces and targeting Hamas.

The ceasefire includes three stages: a truce followed by the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces north of the Litani River; a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon within 60 days; and finally negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on the demarcation of their border, which is currently a boundary set by the UN after the 2006 war.

The measure brokered jointly by the United States and France became effective at 2 am GMT Wednesday, at which time gunfire could still be heard across Beirut.