BEIRUT, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said on Monday that proposed negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have collapsed after Israel rejected a U.S. initiative aimed at reviving talks.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Berri said the only remaining channel is a "mechanism" involving representatives of countries overseeing the ceasefire that ended last year's 13-month conflict between the two sides.
Berri said U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack had proposed a two-month halt to Israeli operations, followed by a withdrawal from Lebanese territory and negotiations on maritime and land borders. "Israel officially rejected the U.S. initiative," he said, adding that Lebanon now has no diplomatic track with Israel other than the ceasefire committee. He noted the panel now meets every two weeks, in a more structured format than before.
Despite the deadlock, Berri said Lebanon remains committed to the November 2024 ceasefire, though he described his outlook as "mixed" between pessimism and optimism.
Barrack warned Beirut on Monday that hesitation over Hezbollah's disarmament could trigger unilateral Israeli action.
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah flared into heavy fighting along the border in October 2023, involving airstrikes, cross-border attacks and artillery exchanges.
The conflict, which caused casualties on both sides and extensive damage in southern Lebanon, ended in November 2024 with a U.S.- and internationally backed ceasefire monitored by a joint committee. Sporadic violations have persisted, keeping the border tense and hindering efforts to resume formal talks on border demarcation and security. ■
