Beirut, Lebanon. Israel has rebuffed an offer of direct talks from Lebanon, with sources saying it views the proposal as coming too late from a government unable to act against Hezbollah without risking civil war. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said the state is willing to begin direct negotiations to end the conflict that erupted on March 2.
Aoun signals readiness for direct negotiations
Aoun expressed this week that Lebanon was prepared to begin direct negotiations with Israel, seeking to secure an end to the conflict that began on March 2 when Hezbollah entered the regional war in support of its patron Iran.
Two sources familiar with Aoun’s position said he has begun appointing a negotiating delegation and, in some private meetings, said he was ready to move toward normalizing ties. “Everything is on the table,” a third source familiar with his position told Reuters when asked about normalization.
Domestic opposition to Hezbollah and enforcement constraints
Lebanon’s stance reflects unprecedented levels of domestic opposition to Hezbollah’s status as an armed group, with the government last week banning the group from military activities.
However, Hezbollah still wields a powerful arsenal and is backed by a significant portion of Lebanon’s Shi’ite Muslim community, making enforcement difficult for a fragile state facing one of its most precarious moments since the 1975-90 civil war.
No response conveyed to the United Nations
On Friday, Aoun told United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he had not received a response to his offer, according to a statement from the presidency.
Limited interest from Israel and the United States
Sources said Aoun’s proposal drew little interest from Israeli or US officials. They said Lebanon’s inability to rein in Hezbollah over the last year and prevent the group’s March 2 attack left Beirut with little credibility and nothing tangible to offer at a negotiating table.
What outcome do you think Lebanon’s leadership is seeking through direct talks with Israel?
