Lebanese President, Hezbollah Split Over Expanded Talks With Israel

Category: Israel, Jerusalem & the Temple

Summary:
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defended expanding talks with Israel to prevent further violence, emphasizing negotiations aimed at ending hostilities, securing captives' return, and resolving border disputes along the Blue Line. This move follows both countries sending civilian envoys to a military committee monitoring their ceasefire, aligning with US efforts under President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace agenda. However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem criticized the decision, calling it a "blunder" and a "free concession" that would not alter Israel's stance or attacks. Lebanon and Israel have been official enemies for over 70 years, with limited direct contact, while tensions persist amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm fully.

Tags: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Hezbollah, Israel, Blue Line border, US Middle East peace agenda, ceasefire committee, Donald Trump

Source Excerpt:

A civil defense member stands on rubble at a damaged site after Israel’s military said it struck targets in two southern Lebanese towns in Jbaa, southern Lebanon, Dec. 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ali Hankir Lebanon’s president on Friday defended his decision to expand talks with Israel as a way to avoid further violence, but the head of Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah called it a blunder, lifting the lid on divisions at a watershed moment for the country. Israel and Lebanon on Wednesday both sent civilian envoys to a military committee monitoring their ceasefire, a step toward a months-old US demand that the two countries broaden talks in line with President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace agenda. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told visiting representatives of the United Nations Security Council that his country “has adopted the option of negotiations with Israel” and that “there is no going back.” “These negotiations are mainly aimed at stopping the hostile actions carried out by Israel on Lebanese territory, securing the return of the captives, scheduling the withdrawal from the occupied areas, and resolving the disputed points along the Blue Line,” Aoun said in a statement on Fr...

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Source: Algemeiner

Posted on 12-05-2025 13:12