- Title: Lebanese skeptical after U.S. envoy's ceasefire talks in Beirut
- Date: 20th November 2024
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (NOVEMBER 20, 2024) (REUTERS) MOHAMMAD AL-AMIN MOSQUE IN CENTRAL BEIRUT VARIOUS OF THE DOME OF THE MOHAMMAD AL-AMIN MOSQUE WITH A LEBANESE FLAG IN FRONT OF IT AND A CHURCH TOWER NEXT TO IT PEOPLE AND TRAFFIC IN CENTRAL BEIRUT VARIOUS OF A SIGN IN CENTRAL BEIRUT READING (Arabic): ‘IT’S ENOUGH, WE ARE TIRED’ (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BEIRUT RESIDENT, KAMAL EL-KOUSH, SAYING: “We have tried what happened yesterday many times before, but we’re optimistic because speaker (of the parliament Nabih) Berri is saying that we’ve put everything into it and the ball is now with the Americans and the Israelis. If the Americans have intentions towards Lebanon that things go well and things will be solved, then be it - but if the Americans don’t have the intentions... At the end, you can't trust the Americans, they say one thing to you and do another.” VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN STREETS PEDESTRIANS WALKING ALONG THE SEASIDE CORNICHE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BEIRUT RESIDENT, AHMAD SHAIB, SAYING: “In my estimation, these negotiations are not working out. We want it to work out but I don't think it will because (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is insisting, and considers himself winning. It's not in our interest to keep this destruction, we want a solution but because he is controlling the aviation, he won't accept the solution. This is my estimation." PEDESTRIANS WALKING ALONG THE CORNICHE
- Embargoed: 4th December 2024 08:12
- Keywords: Beirut Hezbollah Israel Lebanon Palestinians conflict
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001107020112024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Residents of the Lebanese capital of Beirut voiced skepticism on Wednesday (November 20) the day after a senior U.S. mediator visited Lebanon for talks and said there was a "real opportunity" to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
White House envoy Amos Hochstein held talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday (November 19), the day after the Lebanese government and Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a U.S. ceasefire proposal, although with comments on the content.
In central Beirut, resident Kamal el-Koush said he was optimistic after Berri's comments on the talks, but that "the ball is now with the Americans and the Israelis", and depended on Washington’s intentions towards Lebanon.
Another Beirut resident, Ahmad Shaib, said he felt that Lebanon wanted a solution but he thought it was unlikely that negotiations would result in a ceasefire immediately.
Israel started its offensive after almost a year of cross-border hostilities with Hezbollah, which said it was acting in solidarity with Hamas after the Palestinian militant group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel led to the start of the Gaza war.
Israel's campaign has killed 3,544 people in Lebanon since hostilities began, Lebanese authorities say. The figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Hezbollah strikes have killed 43 civilians in northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, while 73 soldiers have been killed in strikes in northern Israel and the Golan Heights and in combat in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli figures.
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