عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Rubio: Knesset's Moves on West Bank Annexation a Threat to Gaza Deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 22 October 2025. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 22 October 2025. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ
TT
TT

Rubio: Knesset's Moves on West Bank Annexation a Threat to Gaza Deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 22 October 2025. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 22 October 2025. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the Israeli Knesset's move towards the annexation of West Bank would threaten President Donald Trump's plan to end the conflict in Gaza.

"They passed a vote in the Knesset, but the president has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now," Rubio told reporters on the tarmac before boarding his flight to depart for Israel. "We think there’s potential for it to threaten the peace deal."

"They’re a democracy, people are going to have their votes, people are going to take these positions, but at this time we think it might be counterproductive," he added.

The bill applying Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, a move tantamount to annexation of land which Palestinians want for a state, won preliminary approval from Israel's parliament on Wednesday.

The vote was the first of four needed to pass the law and it coincided with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to Israel, a month after Trump said that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party did not support the legislation, which was put forth by lawmakers outside his ruling coalition and passed by a vote of 25-24 out of 120 lawmakers. A second bill by an opposition party proposing the annexation of the Maale Adumim settlement passed by 31-9.

Some members in Netanyahu's coalition - from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism faction - voted in favor of the bill, which would require a lengthy legislative process to ultimately pass.

Members of Netanyahu's coalition have been calling for years for Israel to formally annex parts of the West Bank, territory to which Israel cites biblical and historical ties.

Israel argues the territories it captured in the 1967 war are not occupied in legal terms because they are on disputed lands, but the United Nations and most of the international community regard them as occupied.

The UN's highest court in 2024 said that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, and its settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible.

Netanyahu's government had been mulling annexation as a response to a string of its Western allies recognizing a Palestinian state in September, but appeared to scrap the move after Trump's objection.

The Palestinian foreign ministry said Israel will have no sovereignty over Palestinian land, condemning the Knesset's move.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirms that the occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, is a single geographical unit over which Israel has no sovereignty," it said.

Hamas said in a statement on Wednesday that the Israeli votes on the West Bank and Maale Adumim bills reflected "the ugly face of the colonial occupation.”

"We affirm that the occupation's frantic attempts to annex West Bank lands are invalid and illegitimate," it said.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Lebanon Between 2026 War and Negotiation Talks Next Week

Residents search for belongings in the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli strike in the Ain el-Mreisseh area of Beirut (Reuters)
Residents search for belongings in the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli strike in the Ain el-Mreisseh area of Beirut (Reuters)
TT
TT

Lebanon Between 2026 War and Negotiation Talks Next Week

Residents search for belongings in the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli strike in the Ain el-Mreisseh area of Beirut (Reuters)
Residents search for belongings in the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli strike in the Ain el-Mreisseh area of Beirut (Reuters)

Lebanon, under sustained Israeli air strikes and an open war, is entering a pivotal week as it prepares for preliminary meetings expected next week that could open a new negotiating track to secure a ceasefire, stabilize the border, and regulate the south.

The move brings Lebanese-Israeli negotiations back into focus, not as a precedent, but as a continuation of a path shaped by wars and facts on the ground.

The key shift lies in the form. Most past negotiations were indirect, conducted through the United Nations, international mediators, or technical committees. Lebanon has seen only one formal round of direct negotiations at this level, the May 17, 1983, agreement. That makes the 2026 track, in form, the closest parallel, though it differs sharply in context, conditions, and aims.

From armistice to border demarcation: indirect track

Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began with the 1949 Armistice Agreement, signed in Naqoura after the 1948 war and the Lebanese army’s participation in the al-Malikiyyah battle.

It established a ceasefire, adopted the armistice line based on international borders, and set up a joint committee under UN supervision.

Since then, all frameworks, except the 1983 deal, have stayed within indirect or technical formats.

In April 1996, Israel’s “Grapes of Wrath” operation and the Qana massacre led to the April Understanding, which barred targeting civilians. It set up a monitoring committee including Lebanon, Israel, the US, France, and Syria, helping curb escalation until Israel’s withdrawal from the south in 2000.

After the 2006 war, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 set the international framework for the southern border, including a halt to hostilities, deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River, expansion of UNIFIL, and restricting weapons in the area to the state.

In 2022, US-mediated indirect talks on maritime borders ended with the adoption of Line 23 and recognition of Lebanon’s right to develop the Qana field, seen as a model for technical, non-political negotiation.

In November 2024, border escalation produced a fragile ceasefire that included partial Israeli withdrawal from some points, expanded Lebanese army deployment south of the Litani, and a halt to hostilities. Repeated violations and weak implementation exposed its limits, prompting calls for a stricter mechanism.

“Mechanism”: toward direct engagement

In 2025, the term “mechanism” emerged as a practical framework to anchor a ceasefire. The proposal centers on a five-party committee including Lebanon, Israel, the US, France, and the United Nations, backed by technical and field monitoring.

Lebanon insists the Lebanese army alone must implement any arrangements on its territory, rejecting any Israeli operational role on the ground.

This marks the core shift. Unlike previous talks, which were indirect or technical, the 2026 meetings are set to be direct or semi-direct, making them the second such test after May 17.

Second time since 1983

Former MP Fares Soaid said Lebanon is entering “the second instance of formal direct negotiations with Israel,” after the first, which followed the 1982 invasion, when President Amine Gemayel pursued talks to secure Israeli withdrawal and reach an understanding.

He said 1983 unfolded under vastly different conditions. “The obstacles were enormous. The Cold War shaped the scene, and the Soviet Union, led by Yuri Andropov, opposed any track that could pull Lebanon fully into the US camp,” he said.

Arab capitals, led by Damascus under Hafez al-Assad, were not supportive, and Lebanese public opinion, especially among Muslims, was not ready, he added.

Although the May 17 agreement won majority backing in parliament, Damascus, aligned with the Soviet camp, mobilized local forces, leading to the February 6 uprising and the collapse of the deal, effectively besieging Gemayel in Baabda, Soaid said.

He said 2026 presents a different landscape. “There is no Soviet veto, the international climate is more positive, and Arab and Islamic positions are more open to negotiations,” he said.

“There is no objection from Damascus and no real internal opposition. The negotiating delegation is expected to be formed in line with the constitution and presidential powers,” he added, saying the chances of success are far higher than in 1983.

Negotiation is not normalization

A Lebanese parliamentary source said conflating negotiation with normalization has no legal or political basis, stressing that talks do not amount to diplomatic recognition or normal relations.

Lebanon has repeatedly negotiated, from the armistice to the April Understanding and the maritime demarcation, without changing its legal or political stance toward Israel, the source said.

“Negotiation is a political decision governed by international law and the Vienna and Geneva conventions,” the source said, adding that legal doctrine does not treat negotiation as recognition.

Lebanon has used multiple formats, from separate rooms to technical committees, all confined to specific files tied to security, borders, and sovereignty.

“The issue is not the form, but the substance,” the source said. “If the goal is to stabilize borders, stop violations, and restore sovereignty, that falls within the core duties of the Lebanese state.”

Arab World

Israel Adopts Phased Approach to Lebanon Negotiations

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House (file photo, dpa)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House (file photo, dpa)
TT
TT

Israel Adopts Phased Approach to Lebanon Negotiations

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House (file photo, dpa)
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House (file photo, dpa)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had opted for a gradual approach in negotiations with Lebanon, sources close to Netanyahu said on Friday.

This means that Israel will start with technical and procedural issues before moving to major files, depending on the trajectory of US-Iran talks that began in Pakistan.

The sources cited by Maariv said Netanyahu chose a relatively junior official to handle the file, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, after initially planning to appoint his close adviser, Ron Dermer.

They said Dermer disagreed with Netanyahu’s approach. He argued Israel should agree to a ceasefire on the Lebanese front to allow the Islamabad talks to proceed without disruption.

In discussions with US envoy Steve Witkoff, he concluded that the continued war with Lebanon was undermining negotiations with Iran and could give Tehran grounds to trigger a crisis that prolongs the talks.

That would in turn harm President Donald Trump, who faces mounting domestic pressure to prevent a return to war.

Dermer, who manages US-Israeli dialogue, believes Trump’s opponents are exploiting the war politically, accusing him of being pulled behind Netanyahu and his personal and partisan interests at the expense of US interests, damaging Israel’s standing in the US.

The Israeli military, however, opposes ending the war with Lebanon and insists negotiations proceed under fire. The stance reflects a public perception that operations have not met their objectives, alongside anger over continued shelling from Lebanon. The fire has expanded into southern Israel and, while causing limited physical damage, has spread panic and reinforced calls to press on.

A poll published Friday showed 79% of Israelis oppose halting the war before Hezbollah is dismantled and disarmed.

Netanyahu has aligned himself with the military, leaving Dermer in a difficult position as both seek a formula that would satisfy Washington.

Katz said Hezbollah is “pleading for a ceasefire, and its Iranian patrons are also applying pressure and issuing threats, out of serious concern that Israel will crush Hezbollah.”

Boaz Bismuth, head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the war could resume in the “coming days,” describing the current ceasefire as a temporary arrangement.

Seeking to reassure the public, especially in the north where rocket fire is heaviest, Katz said the “massive and unprecedented attack on Lebanon” had dealt Hezbollah a severe blow, leaving it “stunned and confused” due to the depth and scale of the strikes.

He said the “separation of fronts” agreement, led by Netanyahu, was a key achievement that allows Israel to act forcefully against Hezbollah under an organized plan, with forces ready to escalate if Iran opens fire.

Katz said the plan rests on four lines: the border line, including the destruction of homes in Lebanese border villages, a defense line inside Lebanon expanded from five to 15 points, an anti-tank defense line secured through ongoing ground operations, and the Litani line, which Israeli forces aim to control to prevent infiltration and block residents from returning south.

He added the military would also launch a powerful air campaign, modeled on operations against Iran, targeting operatives and rocket launch sites in the Litani area and across Lebanon outside it.

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir approved additional plans to expand the war and ground operations in Lebanon after touring and assessing the situation near Bint Jbeil on Thursday.

“Our main combat arena is here in Lebanon. The objective defined for you is the removal of the direct threat to the residents of the north, which you are carrying out with determination,” Zamir said to troops, according to remarks published by the army.

He said the army remained at war, deepening ground operations and striking Hezbollah hard.

“This is a very powerful operation, and our forces are on the front lines and in depth,” he said. He added that strikes on Iran were also affecting Hezbollah, which he said had become isolated inside Lebanon and cut off from its “strategic artery” in Iran.

“The Lebanese government now understands more than ever the scale of the problem posed by the presence of a radical extremist terrorist organization on its territory,” he said.

 

 

Arab World

Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in US, Israel Won’t Discuss Hezbollah Ceasefire

Lebanese Americans and supporters gather in support of Lebanon during a vigil in Dearborn, Michigan, US, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
Lebanese Americans and supporters gather in support of Lebanon during a vigil in Dearborn, Michigan, US, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in US, Israel Won’t Discuss Hezbollah Ceasefire

Lebanese Americans and supporters gather in support of Lebanon during a vigil in Dearborn, Michigan, US, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)
Lebanese Americans and supporters gather in support of Lebanon during a vigil in Dearborn, Michigan, US, April 10, 2026. (Reuters)

Lebanon's presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbors.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, sparking massive Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.

After a ceasefire was announced between the United States and Iran this week, Washington and Tehran have been at odds over whether it also applies to Lebanon, as Israel has kept up heavy strikes on the country and Hezbollah has responded with its own attacks.

A statement from Aoun's office said that a first telephone call was held on Friday between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington and the US ambassador to Lebanon, who was also in the American city.

"During the call, it was agreed to hold the first meeting next Tuesday at the State Department to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices," the presidency statement said.

A Lebanese government official told AFP on Thursday that Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting any negotiations with Israel.

But Israel said Friday it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah.

Meeting with his Lebanese counterpart to set up the talks, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter "refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization," he said in a statement afterward.

Israel "agreed to begin formal peace negotiations" with the Lebanese government, with which it has no diplomatic relations, said Leiter.

Hezbollah “continues to attack Israel and is the main obstacle to peace between the two countries," he said in a statement.

- Security forces killed -

Earlier Friday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem urged the Lebanese government to stop giving "free concessions" to Israel and vowed that "the resistance will continue until the last breath".

Hezbollah has rejected direct talks between the two countries, instead calling for Israel's army to withdraw from Lebanon.

Late Friday near Beirut's seaside promenade, an AFP photographer saw dozens of people, some riding mopeds or brandishing Hezbollah or Iranian flags, protesting against the authorities and negotiations with Israel, after a similar gatherings elsewhere in the capital earlier in the evening.

Lebanese authorities say the weeks of hostilities have killed more than 1,950 people, while the provisional toll of massive Israeli strikes across the country on Wednesday alone has risen to 357 dead.

Israel's military said it "eliminated more than 180 militants" from Hezbollah in Wednesday's strikes, which came hours after the US-Iran ceasefire was announced, adding that "the count is still ongoing".

It also said it had "dismantled" more than 4,300 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon and killed "more than 1,400" Hezbollah fighters since the war erupted.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on south Lebanon on Friday, saying that "enemy warplanes launched a series of heavy strikes" on Nabatiyeh, hitting a State Security office near the government headquarters in the city.

An AFP photographer saw extensive damage and a fire still raging at the site, where State Security said 13 of its personnel were killed.

- Beirut threat -

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the "painful loss only strengthens our determination to achieve a ceasefire", while Aoun urged the international community to "assume its responsibilities in putting an end to the repeated Israeli aggressions".

Hezbollah also claimed dozens of attacks on Israeli targets, including cross-border rocket barrages in retaliation for the Nabatiyeh strikes, and a missile attack on a naval base in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, far from the border.

On Thursday afternoon, the Israeli military issued a warning of incoming strikes for large, densely populated areas of southern Beirut home to major hospitals and the road to the airport, so far without carrying out the threat.

A Western diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity that "there is ongoing diplomatic pressure... to prevent renewed Israeli airstrikes on Beirut after 'Black Wednesday'".

Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny has said he had "received assurances" from foreign diplomats that the airport and the road there would be spared.

Mohammad Zaatari, director of the country's largest public medical facility, Rafic Hariri Hospital, told AFP: "We have received assurances, including from the International Committee of the Red Cross that the hospital would not be targeted."