Israel has set a deadline of March 15 to reach a political settlement with Lebanon, otherwise it is prepared to escalate military operations into a full-scale war.

The Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper added that Israel informed Western countries that it had issued a warning stating that if a political agreement is not reached with Lebanon by March 15, Israel will prepare for escalation in Lebanon with increased military force.

Western diplomatic sources said, “The political track is not sufficient for reassurance, despite the American side’s insistence on drafting the initials of the agreement between Beirut and Tel Aviv, which revolves around consolidating the ceasefire, resolving the dispute over the disputed points, finding a formula for the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba, and formulating a sustainable solution that prevents a collision.” Great.

This has increased the concern of Western countries, which believe that “every effort should be made to support the continuing efforts of the United States and France to implement Resolution 1701 and initiate a border settlement that provides long-term security and guarantees the return of the displaced on both sides of the border.”

The sources said, “Hochstein has become convinced of the difficulty of stopping the fighting in Lebanon before it stops in Gaza, and he is also convinced that Hezbollah does not want escalation,” noting that “the American envoy considers that the truce in Gaza will be like zero hour from which parallel paths will start.” The first is to work to settle the dispute over the border points with Lebanon, without the solution including the Shebaa Farms, in parallel with the deployment of Lebanese army forces in the south with the approval of the parties concerned.

The sources continued, “There is also a conviction that the 45-day period for the truce will be an opportunity to collect aid for the army, mobilize resources, secure the required logistical equipment, and secure the necessary funds.”

As for the French efforts, the sources say that “the Europeans, specifically the British, believe that France must coordinate with the Americans regarding the political arrangements, because the American side intends to launch the route at the time the truce takes effect in Gaza,” noting that “the process of deploying the observation towers that the British proposed to build on the southern border will be among the measures taken and will be coordinated with the Lebanese army and the American side.”