Netanyahu, Aoun Set for First Direct Talks in 34 Years, President Trump Says By The Media Line Staff US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun are expected to meet Thursday, in what would mark the first direct engagement between leaders of the two countries in 34 years, […]
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The Media Line: Netanyahu, Aoun Set for First Direct Talks in 34 Years, President Trump Says
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Netanyahu, Aoun Set for First Direct Talks in 34 Years, President Trump Says
By The Media Line Staff
US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun are expected to meet Thursday, in what would mark the first direct engagement between leaders of the two countries in 34 years, as efforts continue to reach a ceasefire.
“Trying to achieve a small breathing space between Israel and Lebanon. It’s been a long time since the two leaders spoke, something like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The announcement followed diplomatic contacts in Washington, including a meeting between US ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors met earlier this week. The push comes as both sides signal readiness for talks, though differences remain over conditions.
While a correspondent for Saudi channel Al-Arabiya reported that Netanyahu is expected to speak with Aoun on Thursday, official Lebanese sources told Kan News they were not aware of any such meeting.
Lebanese officials have indicated that Aoun is seeking a ceasefire before negotiations begin, while Israel has maintained it will not halt military operations as a precondition. Al-Akhbar, a newspaper affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri opposes direct talks with Israel regardless of whether a ceasefire is in place. “They came to the United States to achieve a ceasefire but returned to fight Hezbollah,” he said, according to the report.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu met with the security cabinet to discuss possible negotiations with Lebanon. Walla reported that some ministers expressed opposition to a ceasefire.
Separately, a senior Iranian regime official told a Lebanese outlet that an emerging arrangement was reached under Iranian pressure and would coincide with a ceasefire involving Tehran. Reports suggest the effort is intended to give Iran a diplomatic achievement ahead of another round of talks, though officials in Jerusalem rejected claims that a deal was imminent.