Al-Jadeed TV reported that a French initiative was proposed overnight, leading to communication between Baabda Palace and Ain al-Tineh. The initiative reportedly includes a proposal for Hezbollah’s complete surrender in exchange for a ceasefire in Lebanon.
The channel’s sources indicated that Hezbollah refuses to allow any other party to negotiate a ceasefire on its behalf, asserting that it will be the primary negotiator when the negotiating process is ready, given its view that the previous agreement was imperfect.
Sources close to Hezbollah later told Al-Jadeed that the reports that Hezbollah wants to negotiate alone are baseless and that Speaker Nabih Berri is in charge of negotiations “like the last time.”
Sources meanwhile told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel that the French ceasefire proposal says that Hezbollah would declare a cessation of hostilities and lay down its arms, and that the Lebanese Army would enter Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The proposal also stipulates that Hezbollah surrender its weapons within two weeks, and that Lebanon declare its readiness to enter into direct peace negotiations, Al-Hadath said.
Sources close to Hezbollah meanwhile told Al-Hadath that “the battlefield now dictates the terms, and we reject any proposal for negotiation.”
“We will confront any (Lebanese) raid on our weapons depots, just as we will confront any Israeli aggression,” the sources reportedly said.
Hezbollah later issued a statement saying it had not issued any official stance regarding negotiations with Israel, adding that the remarks attributed to a Hezbollah source are baseless.
Israel’s military chief on Tuesday said his forces would keep attacking Hezbollah until the Iran-backed Lebanese group was disarmed, as the war in the Middle East raged for a sixth day.
President Trump appeared to rule out negotiations with Iran, calling for its “unconditional surrender” in a social media post. Mr. Trump has said he wants to be involved in picking Iran’s next leader.
