Beirut: A senior Lebanese official said Sunday that the timing and location of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have not yet been determined. The senior Lebanese source told Anadolu that claims about recognizing Israel or normalizing relations are not currently on the agenda, and discussions in that direction are 'too early.'
According to Anadolu Agency, the negotiating team with Israel is not yet complete, and the date and location of the talks have not been finalized. The official noted that contacts are primarily focused on securing a ceasefire and launching concrete steps to be implemented on the ground. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has proposed an initiative consisting of four key points aimed at paving the way for negotiations.
The source detailed that the proposed initiative will start with a ceasefire, followed by negotiations on Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the redeployment of the Lebanese army. This process could take two to four months or longer, with a potential political solution such as a mutual declaration of non-aggression between the two sides being considered at the end.
The Lebanese official highlighted the incomplete status of the negotiating team, noting that a representative for the Shiite community has not been selected. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has withheld approval for including a Shiite member on the team until a ceasefire is achieved. If a ceasefire is reached and adhered to by Hezbollah and Israel, negotiations could still face challenges due to the complexity of the issues involved.
On March 2, tensions escalated as the Israeli military activated sirens in the north after detecting rockets fired from Lebanon. Subsequently, Israel launched airstrikes across Lebanon targeting Beirut and expanded its ground invasion, conducting intensive attacks from the air and sea. By March 14, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that 826 people had been killed and 2,009 injured due to Israel's attacks since March 2. The Disaster Management Authority stated that over 830,000 people have been forcibly displaced in Lebanon due to the invasion and attacks.