Lebanon: Netanyahu meeting “premature” ahead of next week Israel talks

Shafaq News- Beirut

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday described any potential meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “premature,” as preparations continue for a new round of direct Lebanese-Israeli talks expected next week in Washington.

Speaking to reporters, Salam stressed that any high-level contact with Israel would require extensive preparation, while reiterating that Lebanon is seeking “peace, not normalization.”

While noting that consolidating the April 17 ceasefire would form the basis for any upcoming negotiations, Salam outlined Beirut’s minimum demands, including a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory, and indicated that authorities would move forward with a plan to place all weapons under state control —primarily referring to Hezbollah, which has framed its daily operations against the Israeli army as a response to repeated ceasefire violations and deadly strikes.

Meanwhile, Lebanese broadcaster LBCI, citing sources, reported that a third round of direct talks at the US State Department would span two consecutive days —either Wednesday and Thursday or Thursday and Friday— and include former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam, current Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad, Consul Wissam Botros, and a representative of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

According to the outlet, Moawad has held continuous coordination meetings with aides to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in preparation for the negotiations.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes have continued across southern and eastern Lebanon. The UN refugee agency described the situation as “deeply fragile,” reporting at least 380 deaths since the truce took effect. Since hostilities resumed on March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 2,702 people and wounded 8,311 others, including women and children, according to the Health Ministry.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the military approach in Lebanon as modeled on operations in Gaza, involving large-scale destruction.

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