Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement has local leaders looking forward to peace

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A major step towards peace in the Middle East as Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire.

Calls for the fighting to stop have gone on for two months and for both sides to retreat from southern Lebanon.

Rabbi Asher Lopatin is with the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and calls the agreed upon ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah a great leap forward towards peace after 14 months of horrific war in the Middle East.

"I’m happy. I think it’s a good thing," he said. "I think Muslims, Arab-Americans, Jews - I think everyone can celebrate this and can hope for peace in Lebanon and peace in Israel and, hopefully, this will lead again to the hostages coming home."

He says the agreement, brokered by the Biden Administration, is also a key first step to ending the bloodshed in Gaza ongoing since October of last year. Lopatin will later be visiting Israel the following week.

"I assured my fellow travelers we would be safe," he said. "We're mostly in Jerusalem and Israel is such a safe place. Despite the wars going on, it’s so normal and then there’s an effort towards normalcy, but now yes, this is going to be, please God, be much safer and I hope it’s a long-lasting cease fire."

Dr. Mahoud Al Hadidi co-founded the World Peace Association and is one of the major voices in Metro-Detroit’s Arab-American community, echoing sighs of relief.

"I’m very happy this came at a good time with the holidays," he said. "I don’t know anybody in my network: neighbors, friends, coworkers - whether Muslim, Jewish, Arab, who is not affected by this war, emotionally, physically, financially wise or, and spiritually."

The ceasefire comes after an organized effort by Michigan Arabs to oppose Biden with the Vote Uncommitted movement, and with more Arab-Americans backing former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris earlier this month, but Dr. Al Hadidi says the crisis goes far beyond politics.

"Whether it’s related to election or not is beside the point because President Biden and his administration want to be on the right side of history with stopping all of the suffering and bloodshed and unnecessary displacement of people, and this is a very good decision and if the elections were a factor, then be it," he said.