Israel: We do not plan to hold direct talks with Lebanon

SadaNews - Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sa'ar said on Sunday that Israel does not plan to hold direct talks with the Lebanese government in the coming days, indicating the continuation of military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

Sa'ar added that Israel "expects the Lebanese government to take serious steps to prevent Hezbollah from firing at Israel".

The French news agency "AFP" reported that Lebanon is working to form a delegation to negotiate with Israel to stop the war between it and Hezbollah.

The war in the Middle East reached Lebanon on March 2, after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in response to the assassination of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the American-Israeli attack.

Israel has been conducting extensive air strikes in various areas of Lebanon for several days, and its forces are also penetrating southern Lebanon.

A source told "AFP" that "negotiations are on the table, and preparations are underway to form the delegation, but there is no agenda for this negotiation and no timing or place has been set between Paris and Cyprus, and all issues are still under discussion".

The source added: "Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's initiative to negotiate at the table is welcomed by Europeans and many countries, but we also need an Israeli commitment to a truce or ceasefire".

On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Israel to conduct "direct talks" with Beirut, expressing his readiness to facilitate and host them.

Since the beginning of the recent war on March 2, Aoun proposed negotiating with Israel, without receiving an Israeli response.

The American news site "Axios" reported on Saturday, citing three sources, that France has prepared a comprehensive draft agreement that would end the state of war that has lasted between the two countries for decades and includes Lebanon's recognition of Israel.

However, the French Foreign Ministry emphasized that there is "no French plan" to stop the war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.