Israel and Lebanon will discuss a Lebanese proposal to extend their 10-day ceasefire and a halt to Israel’s demolition operations in villages and towns in the south of the country, President Joseph Aoun said on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the details.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States are set to meet on Thursday for a second round of talks between the two countries. The goal of the discussions is to advance the disarmament of Hezbollah and promote normalization between the two neighbors.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Mouawad are set to return to the United States to meet at the State Department, after their first meeting last week, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio convening the sides.
“It will be a significant extension, not just for a few days,” the source told The Jerusalem Post.
In a post on X/Twitter, Aoun wrote that he intends to spare no effort in pulling Lebanon out of its current crisis.
“In all contacts, I emphasize that my top priority is preserving sovereignty over all Lebanese territory. Lebanon is pressing for the negotiations with Israel to focus on ending Israeli attacks, securing a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, returning Lebanese detainees held in Israel, deploying the Lebanese army up to the international border, and rebuilding Lebanon from its destruction.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Wednesday, during an Independence Day event for the diplomatic corps, that Jerusalem has no major disputes with Beirut.
“There are only a few minor disagreements regarding the border that can be resolved. The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is something else: Hezbollah,” he said.
Sa’ar called on the Lebanese government: “Let us cooperate against the terrorist state that Hezbollah has established on your territory. This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us.”
Progress being made in talks, but unclear when direct meeting will occur
At this stage, it is unclear when a meeting promised by US President Donald Trump between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Aoun will take place.
Lebanon has not ruled out the possibility of a meeting or a phone call between the two leaders, but clarified that “significant progress in the talks” is required before it can be held.
The US has also asked Lebanon to repeal laws prohibiting “normalization with Israel.” These laws are rooted in the 1955 Boycott Law, reinforced by several articles of the Penal Code and the Code of Military Justice. They ban all economic, professional, cultural, and social relations between Lebanese nationals, including those living abroad, and Israeli citizens or entities. Violating these laws can result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment.
Also expected to be present at the meeting on Thursday are Rubio’s senior adviser Michael Needham, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.