Netanyahu orders 'direct negotiations with Lebanon under fire'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he has instructed ministers to begin direct peace negotiations with Lebanon "as soon as possible," a day after massive Israeli attacks killed more than 300 people.

"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."

The discussions would be led by Israeli ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, the official told an Israeli journalist.

It was not confirmed who would lead the Lebanese delegation, but some media reports have said it could be Lebanon's ambassador to Washington Nada Mouawad, or former ambassador Simon Karam.

Israel is refusing to pause its ongoing bombardment of the country during any potential talks, with one official saying negotiations will take place "under fire."

Beirut has called for a truce before starting any negotiations.

A US official said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon will hold talks next week in Washington. 

"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a State Department official said, confirming an earlier account from a source familiar with the diplomatic efforts.

The talks will come soon after as the United States and Iran open talks in Pakistan after both sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Pakistan and Iran have said the ceasefire would cover the entire region, including Lebanon, but Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump have denied that. 

Lebanese official sources told The New Arab that the first meeting in Washington will be preparatory and initially take place at the ambassadorial level.

The sources added that Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is preparing to visit the US as part of ongoing efforts to reach a solution.

Neither Israel nor Lebanon have publicly confirmed the US talks for next week.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad said Thursday that the group rejected direct negotiations with Israel and that the Lebanese government should demand a ceasefire as a precondition before any further steps are taken.

Fayyad said the Lebanese government's position should also prioritise the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory and the return of displaced people to their homes.

Direct talks would be an unprecedented step for the two countries, which have never had formal diplomatic relations in Israel's 78-year history.

A recent push by Lebanese officials for negotiations was rejected by Israel, which has demanded the government forcibly disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah as a precondition for peace talks.

An hour before Netanyahu’s statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that direct negotiations with Israel were the "only solution" to the country's predicament.

This comes a day after Israeli warplanes killed more than 300 people across Lebanon in what was the heaviest bombardment yet during its six-week war with Hezbollah. The strikes targeted densely populated civilian areas, including Beirut.

Israel escalated its attacks across Lebanon on 2 March after Hezbollah renewed cross-border fire in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israeli strikes have since killed more than 1,800 people and uprooted more than a million others, according to Lebanese authorities.

Much of southern Lebanon and all of Beirut’s southern suburbs, where most of the displaced are from, remain under Israeli military evacuation orders.

Hundreds of Hezbollah fighters have been killed, according to sources familiar with the group, which has fired hundreds of rockets and drones into Israel.

Netanyahu's offer came as Iran stepped up threats to end the two-week ceasefire in response to Israel's assault on Lebanon.