Jerusalem, Israel. Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, their first since the start of the Iran war, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Saturday, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Talks and participants
Haaretz reported that U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will be involved in the talks, which may be held in Paris or in Cyprus. The newspaper said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s confidant Ron Dermer is expected to lead the Israeli delegation.
Focus of negotiations
According to Haaretz, the negotiations are expected to focus on ending fighting in Lebanon and disarming the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Recent escalation
Hezbollah opened fire on Israel on March 2, saying it was retaliating for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Israel has since launched an extensive bombing campaign against Hezbollah that has killed more than 770 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more, while Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets across the border.
What outcomes do you expect from the reported Israel-Lebanon talks?