View of the TALKING WALLS art project on the Lebanese border, Moshav Netua, Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council in northern Israel, February 25, 2025. Photo by Michael Giladi/Flash90
The talks between Lebanon and Israel are focused on technical border issues and do not involve discussions of potential normalization between the two countries, an informed source told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
The statement clarified an earlier statement released to Israeli media outlets by a “political source,” who said, “The discussions with Lebanon are part of a broad and comprehensive plan. The Prime Minister’s policy has already changed the Middle East and we want to continue the momentum and reach normalization with Lebanon.”
However, the JPost source said the start of the talks is still weeks away, “and even then, it is unclear whether they will reach agreements.”
On Wednesday, Israel announced an agreement with Lebanon to form working groups to discuss several outstanding disputes, mainly border issues and the remaining presence of Israeli soldiers on Lebanese territory.
The announcement drew criticism within Lebanon, especially from Hezbollah and its supporters, who completely reject any diplomatic contacts with the “Israeli enemy.”
Lebanon’s Christian deputy prime minister, Tarek Metri, quickly stressed that there were no diplomatic contacts and only military personnel would attend the talks.
The office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, also a Christian, said that “the establishment of three working groups, tasked with resolving the disputed points with Israel, is merely a complement to the implementation of Resolution 1701 – this does not mean direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.”
“The claims that these committees are a first step toward a peace agreement are incorrect,” Aoun’s office emphasized.
The announcement also received backlash within Israel. On one hand, some questioned why the anonymous statement included the word “normalization,” which would draw opposition from Lebanon, potentially jeopardizing the talks.
“Israel’s statements on normalization harms the chances of reaching an agreement on the land border. Critics of the Lebanese government will use these statements to attack the administration, and therefore, such remarks only harm the chances of advancing anything,” a source familiar with the details of the talks told the JPost.
However, Ynet News reported that Lebanon approved diplomatic contacts as part of the talks in exchange for receiving five Lebanese prisoners from Israel.
The Israeli statement said this was a “gesture to the Lebanese president.” One of the five was a Hezbollah member, the Axios news outlet reported, citing two American officials.
Meanwhile, the announcement about talks with Lebanon was criticized by Metula Local Council Head David Azoulay and Mateh Asher Regional Council Head Moshe Davidovich. The Israeli leaders demanded that the IDF hold its positions in Lebanese territory to guarantee national security and cautioned against concessions in the 13 contested border points.
At the same time, Ynet cited a senior official who stated that Israel does not intend to hold the five positions in Lebanon indefinitely. Instead, its goal is to establish security arrangements with Lebanon along the northern border.
