The first steps towards peace negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah opposes the initiation of talks

The Lebanese presidency said that Lebanon and Israel had the first contact through a telephone conversation between their ambassadors in Washington, with the participation of the US ambassador to Lebanon, Reuters informs.

The statement states that this conversation is part of the diplomatic efforts aimed at leading to a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations. The two sides agreed that the first meeting would take place on Tuesday at the US State Department, with American mediation.

Previously, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement asked the Lebanese government to refrain from direct negotiations with Israel after the death of 13 members of the Lebanese security forces in Nabatiyeh on Friday, reports CNN, quoted by News.ro.

“We ask the authorities to recognize the danger posed by the path of concessions to an enemy that only understands force and to return to its natural position with its people and its resistance,” the Shiite militant group said in a statement published on Telegram.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Lebanon had issued “repeated requests” for negotiations. Netanyahu added that he had instructed his cabinet to begin “direct” talks with Lebanon aimed at disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations with Israel “as soon as possible.”