Israel wants to normalize ties with Lebanon with US mediation: Official

Israel hopes to be able to normalize relations with neighboring Lebanon through US-brokered talks with Beirut that were announced this week, a senior Israeli official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Al Arabiya English first reported this week that Washington was facilitating talks between Lebanon and Israel to diplomatically resolve several disputes, including demarcating the land border between the two.

Other topics to be discussed by working groups that are to be established will be the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel and five points still occupied by Israeli forces in Lebanon.

“Israel’s aim in the new talks with Lebanon is to reach normalization,” The Times of Israel reported, citing an unnamed senior Israeli official.

Lebanon does not recognize Israel.

Working groups are expected to begin meeting soon, US officials told Al Arabiya English.

The Israel official said the next meeting would be at the political level. Al Arabiya English could not independently verify this. “This means official Israeli diplomacy within Lebanon,” the Israel official told The Times of Israel.

At the request of the US, Israel freed five Lebanese prisoners this week as part of a confidence-building measure, officials said.

Lebanese media outlets quickly reported, citing presidential sources, that all talk about working groups in the US mediation being a prelude to normalization was false and baseless.