Hopes for imminent negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have been tempered after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that no talks are expected in the coming days, despite reports suggesting discussions could begin this week on a French-backed plan to end the conflict.
France’s Foreign Ministry also said there was no French initiative currently on the table, casting further doubt on speculation about a diplomatic breakthrough.
Reports in Tel Aviv had suggested negotiations might begin Wednesday around a proposal centered on a political declaration that could serve as the basis for a non-aggression agreement between the two countries and possibly pave the way for a broader peace arrangement.
But Saar said Israel has no intention of entering direct negotiations with Lebanon to end the war that began earlier this month.
Political sources in Tel Aviv described his comments as a familiar Israeli tactic aimed at maintaining pressure on Hezbollah and the Lebanese government while keeping the diplomatic track ambiguous. According to these sources, Israel is unlikely to enter negotiations unless Hezbollah halts its attacks.
A Lebanese official told Agence France-Presse on Saturday that “negotiations are on the table and preparations are under way to form a delegation,” but stressed that Lebanon needs an Israeli commitment to a ceasefire before talks can begin.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tasked former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer with handling the Lebanese file and managing any potential negotiations with the United States and Lebanon.
A source in Tel Aviv also said the US administration had asked Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, to oversee the negotiations.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking in Beirut, said diplomatic channels remain open to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
‘Positive Contribution’
Political sources in Tel Aviv said Washington had urged Israel to help create conditions for negotiations by reducing strikes in Lebanon and avoiding civilian infrastructure.
That request, however, reportedly lost momentum after the bombing of the Zahrani Bridge over the Litani River. According to the sources, Washington’s main red lines for Israel are avoiding strikes on Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport and the city’s seaport.
Channel 12 reported that the proposed negotiations would focus on a political declaration in which Lebanon would recognize Israel while Israel would affirm Lebanon’s territorial integrity.
The process would begin with a ceasefire followed by a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Sources familiar with the proposal said the plan — reportedly drafted by France — includes what would be an unprecedented step: Lebanese recognition of Israel. Negotiations supported by the United States and France would aim to reach the political declaration within a month.
Paris or Cyprus?
Talks would initially take place at the level of senior diplomats before moving to higher-level political negotiations. France reportedly wants to host the discussions in Paris, while Israel prefers Cyprus.
The proposed declaration would reaffirm Israel’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both sides would also recommit to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war, as well as the 2024 ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon would pledge to prevent attacks on Israel from its territory and move ahead with plans to disarm Hezbollah and end its military activity. The Lebanese Army would redeploy south of the Litani River, while Israel would withdraw within a month from areas captured since the start of the current conflict.
Monitoring of ceasefire violations would be carried out through a US-led mechanism. UNIFIL would verify Hezbollah’s disarmament south of the Litani, while an international coalition authorized by the UN Security Council would oversee broader disarmament across Lebanon.
Under the French proposal, Lebanon would declare its readiness to negotiate a permanent non-aggression agreement with Israel within two months, formally ending the state of war between the two countries.
Israel would then withdraw from five positions in southern Lebanon that its forces have held since November 2024. The final stage would involve demarcating permanent borders between Israel and Lebanon — and between Lebanon and Syria — by the end of 2026.
