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Lebanon could take part in direct talks with the US and Israel next week, although expectations remain low over what the meeting in Washington might achieve.
Israel struck southern Lebanon on Friday, three days after the announcement of a US-Iran ceasefire that Israel insists does not apply to Lebanon.
The talks are expected to take place on Tuesday and will be attended by Lebanon's ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and the Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, as well as America's ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
Former Lebanese ambassador Simon Karam will also be part of the country's delegation, The National understands. Mr Karam is Lebanon’s senior civilian negotiator on a committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel truce that was in place before the Iran war, but was breached almost daily by Israel.
The talks are likely to focus on setting an agenda for further negotiations. “It’s reasonable to have low expectations from the talks because [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu did not want them to happen. The US leaned on him. Israel is probably talking just to tick a box with Washington,” said Paul Salem, vice president for international engagement at the Middle East Institute. Mr Salem has been talked of as a possible civilian representative for Lebanon in talks with Israel.
Mr Netanyahu said he instructed his cabinet to open “direct negotiations” with Lebanon on disarming Hezbollah. The move, which came a day after Israel carried out a surprise assault on Lebanon that killed more than 300 people, follows pleas from Beirut for a seat at the table in Middle East peace talks, which have been mediated by Pakistan.
Negotiations between the US and Iran around the 10-point peace plan put together by Tehran are to take place on Saturday in Islamabad. “The dynamic of the talks depends on Pakistan and whether there will be a breakthrough there – and that will reverberate on Israel-Lebanon," said Mr Salem. "Iran is still proceeding with talks despite no ceasefire in Lebanon. It is trying to square the circle."
Lebanon has pushed to be involved in the peace process. “We have the capability and the means to negotiate and, consequently, we do not want anyone to negotiate on our behalf,” President Joseph Aoun told a cabinet meeting on Thursday. “This is something we will not accept.”
Lebanese officials say Beirut has not yet received a formal invitation, with one source telling The National there will be “no negotiations with Israel under fire”. Talks should begin 72 hours after a ceasefire takes effect, the source added.
Iran has sought to ensure that Lebanon is included in a regional ceasefire. “The Iranian government could convince its domestic public that it was at war because Iran itself was attacked – it will not be easy for them to convince their public that it is continuing the war to defend one of its proxies in a foreign country, Lebanon,” Mr Salem added.
Hezbollah, which is opposed to direct negotiations with Israel, continues to clash with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
As Israeli bombings continued across the south, Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli soldiers in the flashpoint town of Khiam.
Vanessa Ghanem contributed to this report from Abu Dhabi
