Israel and Lebanon officially prepare for talks for ceasefire and lasting peace
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah, Reuters reports.
"In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to start direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," Netanyahu said in a statement. "The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon."
An hour before Netanyahu’s statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that “the only solution to the situation in Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, followed by direct negotiations between them.”
He said he was working on a diplomatic track on this matter that was starting to be seen “positively” by international actors.
Israel launched a renewed offensive against Hezbollah after the Iran-backed militia began firing at Israel on March 2. Israeli strikes have killed around 1,700 people and uprooted more than a million people, according to Lebanese authorities.
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