Lebanon has started to make preparations ahead of the possibility of holding direct negotiations with Israel, based on an initiative proposed by President Joseph Aoun to end Israel’s war on Lebanon.
Diplomatic and political contacts have also been intensifying amid the rapid developments in Lebanon and the region.
Aoun held a joint telephone call with his Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday to address the developments. They agreed to keep channels of communication open to follow up on issues, said the Lebanese presidency.
For his part, Macron underscored the importance of coordination launched by the Lebanese and Syrian leaderships, saying France will continue to support it. Sharaa backs the Lebanese authorities’ efforts to reclaim full control of its territories.
Macron called on Israel to cease its attacks on Lebanon, while accusing Hezbollah of making a “major mistake in dragging Lebanon into a confrontation with Israel.”
Ministerial sources close to the presidency told Asharq Al-Awsat that the call was made at Macron’s request, who believes that negotiations should cover various paths and should not be limited to just talks between Lebanon and Israel.
They should also include negotiations between Syria and Israel, border issues and pending affairs between them. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, Syria and Israel and between all three could lead to connected results, especially over the border, notably the Shebaa Farms.
Lebanon has yet to receive a receptive response from the concerned parties, particularly Israel and the United States, which should sponsor any possible talks.
Regardless, the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon has kicked off steps to engage in negotiations with Israel. It has started to form a delegation that will head to Cyprus should negotiations get a green light.
The delegation will include Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa, who was chosen by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to represent Sunnis, former Ambassador Simon Karam, who will represent Maronites, Shawki Abou Nassar, who will represent the Druze. Discussions are underway to name an Orthodox representative.
No Shiite has been named to the delegation, said the sources, with parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refusing to name one. He instead said that the Mechanism committee should handle talks until a ceasefire is reached.
On the diplomatic level, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi received a telephone call from Hamish Faulkner, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to discuss the situation in Lebanon.
Faulkner expressed his country’s solidarity with Lebanon, saying it was ready to offer humanitarian support and work with the concerned parties towards a ceasefire.
Raggi also received a similar phone call from his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.
