Israel, Lebanon to continue talks in September as Hezbollah seeks to disrupt process – Al-Arabiya
The next round of Israel-Lebanon talks is set for early September, a US official told Saudi state-owned Al-Arabiya English. The official said Hezbollah is still seeking to disrupt the peace process but Washington remains optimistic.
The talks have included discussions about a third country demining certain areas. Most recently, Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Rome, where talks concluded August 6. Representatives discussed Hezbollah’s disarmament, a pilot program for Israeli withdrawal, and plans for a “comprehensive peace and security agreement,” a State Department spokesperson said after the first day.
Hezbollah has opposed the direct talks since they began in April. Secretary-General Naim Qassem denounced the Rome talks as bringing “nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises” for Lebanon and condemned Lebanese President Joseph Aoun as a divisive figure.
In Rome, Israeli officials also raised the possibility of transferring Jewish bodies buried in Lebanon to Israel for kevurah in exchange for the release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel, Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar reported Monday.
The bodies are buried in cemeteries in Beirut and Sidon, both of which historically had vibrant Jewish communities, though almost none remain today.
