Lebanon’s government is “ready to resume negotiations” with Israel, the country’s prime minister told local media Monday, as Israeli attacks on the country persisted overnight.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told French paper L’Orient–Le Jour that Israel had not responded to Lebanon’s proposal for a resumption of talks.
“Nevertheless, we are open to discussing any agenda, any format, and any venue for holding them,” Salam said.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun echoed that the government had signaled its “full readiness” for discussions to “halt the dangers Israeli escalation” in a post on X Monday.
Israeli forces launched a renewed assault on parts of Lebanon last week after the militant group Hezbollah fired projectiles into Israel in support of Iran.
Lebanese lawmakers have banned Hezbollah’s military activities and urged it to surrender its weapons, but Salam said the government is “not seeking a confrontation” with the Iran-backed group.
At least 394 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli attacks since March 2, including 83 children, according to the country’s health ministry.
The Lebanese government has received guarantees that Israel will be “sparing Beirut Airport and the road to it from bombing,” Salam said.
