BEIRUT/ISTANBUL

A senior Lebanese official said Sunday that the timing and location of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have not yet been determined.

The senior Lebanese source told Anadolu that claims about recognizing Israel or normalizing relations are not currently on the agenda, and discussions in that direction are “too early.”

“The negotiating team with Israel is not yet complete, and the date and location of the talks have not been finalized,” the source said.

The official said contacts are primarily focused on securing a ceasefire and launching concrete steps to be implemented on the ground.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has proposed an initiative consisting of four key points aimed at paving the way for negotiations, according to the source.

The source said the first phase would start with a ceasefire, followed by negotiations on Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory, the disarmament of Hezbollah and the redeployment of the Lebanese army.

“This process could take two to four months or longer, depending on the needs. At the end of this phase, a possible political formula, such as a mutual declaration of non-aggression between the two sides, could be considered,” the source added.

Lebanese negotiating team not yet finalized

The Lebanese official noted that the negotiating team is still incomplete and a member to represent the Shiite community has not yet been selected.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has not approved the inclusion of a Shiite member on the team before a ceasefire is achieved, according to the source.

If a ceasefire is reached and Hezbollah and Israel adhere to it, negotiations could be long and difficult due to the complexity of the issues involved, it added.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon

On March 2, the Israeli military announced that sirens had been activated in the north after detecting rockets fired from Lebanon.

Later, Israel, which announced it had launched airstrikes across Lebanon targeting Beirut, decided to expand its ground invasion in the country, conducting intensive attacks from the air and sea.

On March 14, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the number of people killed in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon since March 2 had risen by 86 to 826, while the number injured increased to 2,009.

The Disaster Management Authority, affiliated with the government, stated that the official number of people forcibly displaced in Lebanon due to Israel’s invasion and attacks had exceeded 830,000.

*Writing by Kanyshai Butun