Lebanese President Joseph Awn stressed on Wednesday that Israel must first fully respect the ceasefire in order to start direct negotiations between the two countries. Beirut is now awaiting a date for the planned talks to be brokered by the United States. In his statement, the president pointed out that continued Israeli attacks are unacceptable and hinder progress in peace negotiations.
The United States announced an agreement to start direct talks between Lebanon and Israel after its ambassadors met in Washington on April 14. The truce between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, which came into effect two days later, was originally planned to last until Sunday, but was subsequently extended by three weeks, until mid-May. Despite these being the first direct talks between the two countries in decades, their relations remain strained.
The tension remains
Israel and Lebanon do not have official diplomatic relations and have been formally in a state of permanent conflict since the creation of the Jewish state. But the Lebanese government hopes the planned talks could lead to a permanent end to the war, which has intensified since Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel on March 2. These attacks were a response to the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Although the cease-fire brought about a significant reduction in the number of attacks, both sides continue to accuse each other of violating it. In addition, Israel has sent its ground troops to the south of Lebanon, where it is creating a security zone and destroying border villages. This situation further complicates the already fragile ceasefire.
Objectives of negotiations
President Awn declared on Monday that the aim of direct negotiations is not only to stop the war, but also to withdraw Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, return displaced persons, demarcate borders and end the “state of hostility” between the two countries. On the other hand, Israel has long demanded the disarmament of Hezbollah, which it considers a threat to its security.
The future of the talks remains uncertain as tensions between the two sides remain. However, the United States continues to play a key role in facilitating a dialogue that could bring stability to the region.
