Preparations for a ground operation in Lebanon.. Israel: We reject the settlement proposal and the ceasefire

Key Issues

Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed his rejection of the settlement proposal with 'Hezbollah' and the ceasefire, considering that 'the only way to reach an agreement is to remove 'Hezbollah' to the north of the Litani and disarm it." The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted Katz as saying, 'We reject the settlement proposal with Hezbollah and will not agree to a ceasefire, and the full implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Lebanon is the way to a ceasefire.' Earlier, the "Walla" website reported, quoting Israeli security officials, that there is consensus at the political and military levels that a ground invasion of Lebanon is a matter of time. The website quoted a security source as confirming that 'the forces are concentrated on the northern front and are preparing for a ground invasion into Lebanon, and we are preparing new operational plans to make changes in southern Lebanon and the region. He added: 'We are collecting intelligence information about Hezbollah's pre parations, especially the Radwan Force, before the ground invasion." Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed the need for a ceasefire on all fronts, stressing his country's adherence to a diplomatic solution. Source: National Iraqi News Agency