AhlulBayt News Agency: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri announced that negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have collapsed after Israel rejected a US initiative aimed at facilitating talks on Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories and launching border demarcation and security discussions.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri explained that US envoy Thomas Barrack had conveyed Israel’s refusal to accept a proposal involving a two-month halt to Israeli aggressions, withdrawal from occupied areas, and subsequent negotiations.
Due to Israel’s rejection, Berri stated that “any path for negotiations with Israel has been abandoned,” leaving only the mechanism overseen by the committee implementing the ceasefire agreement.
He reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the ceasefire reached in November 2024, emphasizing that the committee’s mechanism is “the only framework currently in place.”
Berri reiterated Lebanon’s adherence to the November 2024 ceasefire, which was designed to end prolonged conflict with Israel.
He noted that the committee now meets every two weeks, marking a more organized approach than in the past.
Despite the breakdown in talks, Berri expressed both pessimism and optimism about future relations with Israel.
He stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire, especially after violent clashes erupted along the Lebanon-Israel border in October 2023.
In a related development, US envoy Thomas Barrack warned Beirut of possible unilateral Israeli military action if the Lebanese government fails to disarm Hezbollah.
Barrack cautioned that continued hesitation could lead to serious regional consequences, including renewed warfare.
He wrote on X that “Should Beirut continue to hesitate (over disarming Hezbollah), Israel may act unilaterally – and the consequences would be grave.”
The US administration has warned Lebanon that failure to disarm Hezbollah could prompt a renewed Israeli military campaign.
According to US officials cited by the New York Times, delays in the disarmament process could lead Israel to “finish the job” through further military operations.
In August, under pressure from the US and Israel, Lebanon’s government instructed the army to prepare a plan to disarm Hezbollah by year’s end.
Hezbollah and its ally Amal responded by rejecting the decision, declaring they would “treat the decision as if it did not exist,” and accused the government of following US orders.
/129
Your Comment