Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said it was premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel, despite comments by U.S. President Donald Trump expressing hope for such talks.
Salam on conditions for talks
Salam, in comments reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) on Wednesday, said shoring up a ceasefire would be the basis for any new round of negotiations that might be held by Lebanese and Israeli government envoys in Washington. He said Lebanon was not seeking “normalization with Israel, but rather achieving peace,” and added that the current circumstances “are not ripe to talk about high-level meetings,” according to NNA.
Ceasefire and continued hostilities
Hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-mediated ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel announced on April 16. Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire on April 23 and said he looked forward to hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the near future, adding that he saw “a great chance” the countries would reach a peace deal this year.
Recent contacts and domestic divisions
Since Hezbollah opened fire on March 2 in support of Iran, the Lebanese administration led by Salam and Aoun has initiated Beirut’s highest-level contacts with Israel in decades, reflecting divisions between the Shi’ite Muslim group and its Lebanese opponents. Washington last month hosted two meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States, contacts to which Hezbollah strongly objects.
Withdrawal timetable and weapons control plan
Salam said Lebanon’s “minimum demand is a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal.” He added that the government would develop its plan to restrict weapons to state control, an effort aimed at securing Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Aoun’s position on a meeting
Aoun said this week the timing was not right for a meeting with Netanyahu, adding that Lebanon “must first reach a security agreement and a halt to the Israeli attacks, before we raise the issue of a meeting between us,” he said.
What steps do you think would need to happen first for Lebanon and Israel to consider a high-level meeting?
