Netanyahu orders direct talks with Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced direct negotiations with Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the countries.
2:00 PM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday that his government will initiate direct negotiations with Lebanon to disarm the Shiite group Hezbollah and establish "peaceful relations" between the two countries.
"In response to repeated calls from Lebanon to begin direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the Cabinet yesterday to initiate them as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.
The talks will focus on Hezbollah's disarmament and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon, according to Netanyahu, who cited reporting by the Haaretz newspaper. Netanyahu also acknowledged Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's call for "calm."
The announcement comes amid an intensification of Israeli military operations in Lebanon and disagreements over the scope of a ceasefire agreement. Hours before Netanyahu's statement, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah "yearns for a ceasefire" following the escalation of Israel's offensive in the neighboring country.
Netanyahu emphasized the role of the Israeli military in Lebanon, where more than 1,500 deaths have been recorded since the beginning of the recent conflict. On Wednesday, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli military continues to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon "with force, precision and determination" and expressed resolve to continue operations "wherever necessary."
The announcement follows a ceasefire agreement between the United States, Israel, and Iran announced Wednesday. Hours after that ceasefire was announced, the Israeli military launched what officials described as its largest offensive since the beginning of the war in Lebanon, with strikes occurring within a ten-minute window.
Netanyahu denied that Lebanon was part of the ceasefire agreement with Iran, clarifying the scope of the arrangement. The Israeli Prime Minister's call for direct negotiations reflects Lebanon's repeated requests for contact with Israel to halt the military offensive that followed Hezbollah's attacks within the context of the broader conflict involving Iran.