In a reading of the Israeli landscape on the eve of elections, a U.S. source said that a victory by Benjamin Netanyahu or his rival Gadi Eisenkot “will not alter Israel's security fundamentals regarding Lebanon -- foremost among them the disarmament of Hezbollah.”
“The potential difference lies in the style of negotiation, as well as the conditions and timing of withdrawal, while the core dilemma remains Israel's adherence to its occupation under the pretext of Hezbollah's arms, and the latter's retention of its weapons under the pretext of the occupation,” the source told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper.
“The challenge facing Washington and Beirut remains breaking this cycle by strengthening state authority and linking security progress to a gradual Israeli withdrawal,” the U.S. source added.
Official sources meanwhile confirmed to the daily that Lebanon has been notified of a potential U.N. Security Council meeting in mid-November to discuss the fate of the U.N. forces in south Lebanon, amid a negative atmosphere that suggests it will not be easy to roll back the decision to terminate their mission.