WASHINGTON, United States: Israel said Friday it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah when it holds talks with Lebanon’s government next week in Washington.
The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors spoke to set up the talks that will open Tuesday at the State Department.
Israel “agreed to begin formal peace negotiations” with the Lebanese government, with which it has no diplomatic relations, said the Israeli ambassador, Yechiel Leiter.
“Israel refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which continues to attack Israel and is the main obstacle to peace between the two countries,” he said in a statement.
The Lebanese government and the Trump administration have asked Israel for a "pause" in its attacks against Hezbollah before direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon begin next week, Reuters reported, quoting Axios which cited two sources.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
Israel won’t discuss ceasefire in Lebanon talks: envoy
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah on Saturday reiterated his Iran-backed group’s rejection of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, a day after Lebanon’s president said such talks would take place next week in Washington.
The move is “a blatant violation of the (national) pact, the constitution and Lebanese laws … and it exacerbates domestic divisions at a time when Lebanon most needs solidarity and internal unity to face Israel’s aggression,” Fadlallah said in a statement.
Israel launched massive strikes and a ground invasion of Lebanon after attacking Iran on February 28, in response to rocket fire into Israel from Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed movement.
Without a ceasefire with Hezbollah, the talks would center on Israel seeking actions from the Lebanese government, which has for years struggled to rein in Hezbollah but has been stepping up its efforts.
Israel has said that a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which will hold talks starting Saturday in Islamabad, does not cover Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities say the weeks of hostilities have killed more than 1,950 people, with Israeli strikes killing more than 350 people Wednesday alone, the first full day of the US-Iran ceasefire.
– with Reuters
