Direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon have begun, with a ceasefire as a prerequisite for broader agreement, amid diplomatic efforts from the US and other nations.
Diplomatic Offensive in the US, Lebanon and Israel Closer to Ceasefire
Reuters reported that a ceasefire is a preliminary condition for further talks aimed at reaching a broader agreement with Israel.
Israeli news portal Ynet reported on Friday that the Lebanese delegation will include former Lebanese Ambassador to the US Simon Karam and Parliament Speaker, leader of the Shia Amal movement, Nabih Berri. The participation of Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, the current Lebanese Ambassador to the US, is also expected.
Israeli Premier Orders Direct Talks
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he had instructed the start of direct talks with Lebanon. He stated on X that the talks will focus on disarming Hezbollah – a Lebanese terrorist organization funded by Iran – and “formalizing peaceful relations” between the two countries.
Appeals to Capitals
The Washington Post recalled that on Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ordered the Lebanese army and security forces to “immediately strengthen full control of the state” over Beirut, ensuring that weapons remain exclusively in the hands of “legitimate security forces.”
The newspaper also noted that in March, when Israel intensified military operations against Hezbollah, Lebanese officials appealed through diplomatic channels to world capitals, from Paris to Washington, for a ceasefire, support for the Lebanese army in taking over Hezbollah’s arsenal, and eventual direct peace talks with Israel under US auspices, as reported by presidential advisor Joseph Aoun.
A State of War Since 1948
Lebanon has officially been at war with Israel since 1948, when Arab states attacked the Jewish state.
A Ceasefire That Creates War
As noted by the French-language portal Ici Bayrouth, representing mainly the Christian political side in Lebanon, direct talks on a formal peace agreement require several conditions, including “ending Hezbollah’s control over the Lebanese state, appropriate support from Arab factions to prevent a political collapse of the Lebanese government, and Israel’s willingness to offer something concrete, such as a complete withdrawal from territories it controls in Lebanon and economic guarantees.”
A commentator for the portal emphasized that the most ardent enemies sometimes sign the most lasting peace treaties, stating that hatred is not a permanent obstacle to reason. “Lebanon has survived everything: civil war, occupations, attacks, economic collapses. It will also survive this war. The question is not whether there is a way out of the situation. The question is at what cost and whether someone will ultimately have the courage to negotiate it. Because the worst kind of end to a war is one that paves the way for the next,” they added.
