Lebanon says Israel refuses to engage in negotiations over withdrawal

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Thursday that Israel has refused to engage in negotiations to end its occupation of Lebanese territory, Anadolu reports. In an interview with Bloomberg, Salam said President Joseph Aoun has offered to start negotiations with Israel to discuss its withdrawal from the five border outposts. “I repeat the same offer of negotiating with Israel,” Salam said, adding that there has been no Israeli response to the Lebanese offer. “That’s a puzzle for me. They ask for negotiations, and when we show readiness, they don’t agree to the rendez-vous,” the premier said. “That’s something I’ll be bringing up with the Americans,” he added. Regarding the government’s plan to bring all weapons under state control and demilitarize […]