The United States and France are seeking to arrange direct talks soon between representatives of Israel and the Lebanese government in an effort to reach a ceasefire and agreements under which the Lebanese state would take responsibility for disarming Hezbollah.
The initiative aims to halt the escalation and prevent a possible Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon. For now, however, Israel intends to expand military activity in Lebanon regardless of diplomatic efforts.
IDF strikes in Beirut
The talks are being led on the U.S. side by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump. Israel has not yet formally accepted the invitation, though the direction appears positive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked former minister Ron Dermer to coordinate the Lebanon portfolio, and if talks take place he is expected to represent Israel. Dermer has recently taken part in several meetings of the security cabinet.
“It is hard to believe a broad ground operation in Lebanon can be prevented, and it appears IDF soldiers will ultimately have to carry out the difficult work of disarming Hezbollah,” a source familiar with the matter said.
“At the same time, there is a chance for a dramatic shift with the Lebanese government,” the source said. “The Lebanese government also wants Hezbollah disarmed. We are entering a long and complex campaign against Hezbollah.”
The source added that diplomatic negotiations with the Lebanese government alone are unlikely to stop the fighting, but discussions are taking place about the possibility of a new chapter with Lebanon after the Iran front, similar to recent developments with Syria.
Direct talks, if they occur, are not expected to take place in Naqoura, where previous negotiations between Israel and Lebanon were held, likely because of the ongoing exchange of fire. Instead, the discussions would likely take place in a third country.
French President Emmanuel Macron is also involved in the effort and has proposed Paris as a possible host.
Macron said he spoke with Lebanon’s president Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and parliament speaker Nabih Berri, calling for urgent steps to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos.
“Hezbollah must immediately stop the dangerous escalation it is leading,” Macron said. He also urged Israel to refrain from a large-scale attack and halt massive strikes, noting that hundreds of thousands of people had fled the bombardment.
Macron added that the Lebanese government has expressed readiness to hold direct talks with Israel, saying all components of the Lebanese state should be represented.
He called on Israel to respond to the opportunity, begin discussions and work toward a ceasefire and a sustainable solution that would allow Lebanese authorities to fulfill commitments related to Lebanon’s sovereignty.