Dispute over 'self-defense' clause reportedly resolved

The agreement that is being negotiated between Israel and Lebanon will grant both sides the right to self-defense should one of them come under attack from the other side, LBCI television reported on Wednesday.

“The dispute over the clause that stated that each party had the right to defend itself has been resolved,” Lebanese sources told Sky News Arabia, referring to one of the thorniest issues in the negotiations.

“The new wording states that each party has the right to self-defense if attacked, provided that the U.S. guarantees that Israel will not carry out preemptive strikes,” the sources added.

Lebanon’s Elnashra news portal meanwhile reported that U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein is discussing every detail with the Israelis in a manner resembling “indirect negotiations” between Lebanon and Israel, and accordingly no “surprises” are expected from the Israeli side when Hochstein will present the draft to them on Thursday.

Ain el-Tineh sources meanwhile told Al-Jadeed television that the atmosphere is "positive and better than yesterday, and the proof is that Hochstein is heading to Tel Aviv today."

Hochstein held a second meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday after their first meeting on Tuesday. The U.S. envoy and Berri's aide Ali Hamdan also spent hours Tuesday finetuning the proposed agreement's technical aspects, after Berri said his meeting with Hochstein was "good, in principle."

A diplomat in Lebanon, requesting anonymity, told AFP on Wednesday that Hochstein and Lebanese officials had studied some modifications to the U.S. truce plan.