BEIRUT - US presidential envoy Amos Hochstein held intensive negotiations with Lebanese officials on a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel before he headed to the occupied Palestinian territories on Tuesday night.

“The solution is imminent,” Hochstein said after two hours of talks with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday. Hochstein, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday, added, “The meeting was very constructive and we have a real opportunity to reach an end to the conflict now.”

For his part, Berri said, “The situation is good in principle.” 

Berri and Hochstein were to discuss and decide on some technical details.

“Guarantees regarding the Israeli position are the responsibility of the Americans,” the veteran Lebanese politician remarked.

Hochstein also met with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who stressed that the priority is to “stop the aggression against Lebanon and preserve Lebanese sovereignty over all Lebanese territories.”

On the other side, former head of the occupation regime’s military intelligence, Major General Amos Yadlin, who recently met with Hochstein in Washington, said, “The agreement with Lebanon is making great progress, and it is not unlikely that it will be announced at the end of this week.” Yadlin added. “If an agreement is reached in Beirut, it will be signed and implemented.” 

However, during a meeting of the political-security cabinet and before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu said, “It does not matter what will be written in the agreement, the paper is just a paper.” In the same context, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “The agreement with Lebanon is not worth the paper it is printed on.” 

In a commentary Channel 13 doubted the outcome of the negotiations, saying, “Hezbollah is maneuvering and will not accept the Israeli conditions.” It also said, “The clause that still constitutes an obstacle to reaching an agreement is the Israeli demand for freedom of action in southern Lebanon.”

Channel 12 also revealed that the Zionist entity “demands the presence of an American general in Lebanon to monitor violations of the settlement. So it is estimated that the negotiations will take time.” It quoted the Zionist Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter as saying that “excessive optimism regarding Lebanon is wrong and we must continue to strike Hezbollah.”

Israel Hayom also quoted an Israeli political source as saying that “reaching an agreement apparently will not happen in the coming days.” The source said, “The Israeli army has approved other plans to attack the southern suburbs of Beirut and carry out assassinations wherever possible in Lebanon.”

Besides, the Kan channel quoted Zionist officials as saying that the security establishment assesses that “Hezbollah intends to intensify the firing of rockets, especially at the center [of the occupied Palestinian territories] in the coming days, as a means of pressure to reach an agreement as soon as possible.”

Hochstein’s visit coincided with the intensification of the Israeli occupation army’s attacks on the city of Khiyam to surround it in preparation to enter it as a pivotal gain that will have an impact on the political settlement. 

He also met with General Joseph Aoun and discussed with him the future role of the Lebanese army in being deployed in the Lebanese areas south of the Litani River, as well as the armament, logistical and financial support it needs to carry out its role.

In parallel, Deputy Head of Hezbollah’s Political Council Mahmoud Qamati told Al Jazeera that Hezbollah is only concerned with matters on the battlefield and warned against excessive optimism as the enemy could undermine any agreement at the last minute as he did previously with the Palestinians.