In parallel with the gradual escalation of military operations between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, communication efforts have intensified behind the scenes in political and diplomatic circles aimed at de-escalation and preventing the outbreak of a full-scale war. According to Lebanese sources linked to negotiations seeking to establish a diplomatic solution to halt confrontations on the southern front, recent days have seen US-Qatari coordination concerning the development of a mechanism to implement Resolution 1701.
The sources told the Kuwaiti daily "Al-Jarida": "Recently, US President's Envoy for Global Energy Security Amos Hochstein visited Qatar and discussed with Qatari officials ways to assist in preventing the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel from escalating." They added, "Following this meeting, Qatar began to engage in communication with Lebanon to reduce tensions and prepare the groundwork for establishing an agreement after the cessation of hostilities in Gaza."
According to these details, the Qatari initiative in Lebanon will follow two interconnected tracks: the first pertains to developments in the south, while the second focuses on the political path to reach a settlement that results in a president for the republic and a reformation of power.
On another note, in the context of these communications, a virtual meeting took place between Hochstein and French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss the developments in the Lebanese situation, especially as France seeks to play a key role in establishing calm in the south and addressing the presidential file. The Lebanese source indicated that "the French have recently communicated with the Israelis in efforts to ensure the success of their initiative, and Paris has received signals from Israel regarding a willingness to reach a diplomatic agreement instead of war," emphasizing that "Paris and Washington will continue working to prevent a major explosion in southern Lebanon and to avert war," as reported by "Al-Jarida."
