Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has rejected negotiations between the Lebanese government and Israel, set to begin tomorrow, and called on Lebanon’s president to stand with Hezbollah against Israel.
“We reject negotiations with the usurping Israeli entity… We call for a historic and heroic stance by canceling this negotiating meeting,” Qassem said in a televised address.
This comes after Lebanon’s presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbors.
He repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, sparking massive Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.
A statement from Aoun’s office said that a first telephone call was held on Friday between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington and the US ambassador to Lebanon, who was also in the American city.
“During the call, it was agreed to hold the first meeting on Tuesday at the State Department to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices,” the presidency statement said.
A Lebanese government official told AFP on Thursday that Lebanon wants a ceasefire before starting any negotiations with Israel.
But Israel said Friday it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah
Meeting with his Lebanese counterpart to set up the talks, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter “refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” he said in a statement afterward.
AFP/ France 24 / YL
