BEIRUT/LONDON: As a Lebanese delegation starts taking shape to hold direct talks with Israel, the people of Lebanon remain trapped in the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah, victims of a conflict their country neither sought nor wanted.
This time, however, amid the renewed suffering, destruction and mass displacement of Lebanon’s citizens, a cautious hope is taking hold that a historic peace initiative proposed by the Lebanese government could pave the way to an end to the country’s decades of turmoil.
Lebanon has formally asked the US and other countries to broker direct talks with Israel, proposing Cyprus as a neutral venue for ministerial-level negotiations.
The move is being hailed as the most ambitious diplomatic overture Beirut has made toward Tel Aviv in a generation, and its potential historic significance is not lost on analysts.
As Israeli forces continue to bombard Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun, right, calls for direct negotiations with Israel to end the escalating conflict with Hezbollah. (AFP)
