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Conflict in the Middle East
Original poster

Netanyahu tells cabinet to start direct talks with Lebanon

157 replies

Twiglets1 · 09/04/2026 17:27

Reported in the BBC today that Benjamin Netanyahu says he's told his cabinet to start direct talks with Lebanon "as soon as possible".

In a statement posted on X in Hebrew, it says he requested this to his cabinet yesterday, in light of "repeated calls" from Lebanon to open direct negotiations.

He adds that the talks will focus on the "disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon".

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Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 19:29

Yes you should ask MN @roses2

I've never known them delete a post just for posting a link to a news article.

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Stirabout · 21/04/2026 19:24

roses2 · 21/04/2026 18:47

My post was deleted and all I did was post a link to a news article about some horrific things the IDF have been doing involving animals and Palestinians.

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If you posted a news article There's no reason why that should be deleted.
If I was you I’d ask MNHQ why they are deleting news articles as that’s not on.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 19:22

Lebanon’s Salam says state not going to be ‘intimidated’ by Hezbollah

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says his government is not seeking a confrontation with Hezbollah, but it will pursue its aim of disarming the group.

“There is no state possible if it doesn’t have the monopoly of arms,” Salam said, speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint news conference in Paris.

“Having said that, we’re not looking for a confrontation with Hezbollah,” he continued. “On the contrary, we want to avoid a confrontation, but we’re clearly not going to be intimidated by Hezbollah and by those who stoke the flames of civil strife.”

Salam added he would continue to follow the path of diplomacy through direct talks with Israel.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/4/21/iran-war-live-tehran-shuns-talks-trump-says-us-blockade-to-remain

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roses2 · 21/04/2026 18:47

logicisall · 21/04/2026 09:36

Why the sudden spate of deletions?
I'm respectfully wondering if this a 'thing' on this thread.
Might have to ask MNHQ.

My post was deleted and all I did was post a link to a news article about some horrific things the IDF have been doing involving animals and Palestinians.

logicisall · 21/04/2026 10:13

Perhaps in openness and fairness to everyone investing time in posting on @Twiglets1 thread, the person/s doing the reporting may wish to explain the reasoning behind their reporting, so we can avoid any future posts getting deleted and the discussion can continue?

Some people might find having their posts reported and deleted, a censorship of their opinions if they were not making personal attacks.

If the post was reported as being inflammatory, perhaps the person reporting might even be of too sensitive a disposition for any discussion on the ME, beause many distressing things are happening.

That is why we all hope the Israel/Lebanon talks in Washington lead to peace in Lebanon.

rainingsnoring · 21/04/2026 09:44

logicisall · 21/04/2026 09:36

Why the sudden spate of deletions?
I'm respectfully wondering if this a 'thing' on this thread.
Might have to ask MNHQ.

Yes, why were those posts deleted? I couldn't see anything personal or offensive about them. It is very difficult to have an adult discussion about these very vital issues when these sort of posts are being reported and deleted so regularly. Is anyone able to explain what caused offense to someone?

logicisall · 21/04/2026 09:36

Why the sudden spate of deletions?
I'm respectfully wondering if this a 'thing' on this thread.
Might have to ask MNHQ.

logicisall · 21/04/2026 09:34

Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 09:20

Now it sounds like you are trying to police the thread @logicisall

Maybe we can agree it’s just opinions on MN.

I respectfully disagree with that assessment of my post.
How is that trying to police the thread when you said that it is about The Israeli/Lebanon peace talks?
Do you not believe that a discussion on the Israel/Lebanon peace talks should have a 360 view of the issues?

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 09:20

Now it sounds like you are trying to police the thread @logicisall

Maybe we can agree it’s just opinions on MN.

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logicisall · 21/04/2026 08:51

Ahh, so you didn't understand the point of my post after all @Twiglets1 .

Here's a simple analysis for you and any others who don't see the relevance.
Governments do not exist in a vacuum. My post is whether what is happening in Israel regarding IDF actions against Palestines will have an effect on the scheduled peace negotiations with Lebanon in Washington. After all, that is what this thread is about, isn't it?

Relevants questions to ask given the recent news cycle would be:
Do these new domestic challenges in Israel change the Israeli and Lebanese positions in any way?
In spite of condemning the actions of an Israeli soldier in knocking off the head of a statue of Christ in Lebanon, how much has the actual action damaged the Israeli gov't on the world stage?
Does Bibi care?
Does it make the Israeli gov't stronger or weaker in its negotiations with Lebanon?

in my opinion it doesn't make sense to silo Israel/Lebanon negotiations in the way @Twiglets1 prefers to do here. Any unbiased analysis must take a holistic approach in order to have any realistic expectations of the upcoming Israel/Lebanon peace talks.

rainingsnoring · 21/04/2026 08:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yes. The hypocrisy of the West is shocking.

rainingsnoring · 21/04/2026 08:38

logicisall · 20/04/2026 22:15

Israelis now protesting against the killings in Palestine

Israelis are marching in Jerusalem tonight. Not Palestinians. Israelis. One protester: "Settlers attacked children and women in a Palestinian village. The IDF came and arrested the Palestinians that were attacked." "This is not democracy. This is not justice. This government is the root source of so many wrongs. We must make it stop." The opposition to Netanyahu isn't coming from outside Israel. It's coming from inside it. Never stop connecting the dots.

https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/2045630329801875778?s=20

I have seen some reports of Israelis protesting against the genocide that is going on and being dealt with harshly by the police. Lots of people supporting Palestine in different countries are also getting dealt with harshly- see elderly men and women being dragged off in the UK. It feels as if we are heading towards Facism.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 08:22

There are many other threads about Israel and Gaza. This one is about the Israel and Lebanon historic peace talks. I think Lebanon deserves its own thread and there are other more appropriate threads for disgraceful things happening in the West Bank with the Settlers @logicisall

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flyfishwife · 21/04/2026 08:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

roses2 · 21/04/2026 08:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

logicisall · 21/04/2026 08:08

My apologies if you thought my question was rude, it was not intended to be that way.
Thank you for pointing out the thread you think most appropriate for me. However, did you understand the point I was making and why it was relevant to post on this thread?

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 08:02

logicisall · 21/04/2026 07:49

Sorry, to confirm, you're policing the replies on this post?

Show quote history

No I'm not policing it I'm just pointing out that "With respect, this thread is about the Israel Lebanon peace talks".

You had the choice to acknowledge the point I tried to make politely, ignore it or respond rudely.

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logicisall · 21/04/2026 07:54

And you're controlling the scope of what can be discussed on a thread that is open to everyone?

logicisall · 21/04/2026 07:49

Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 06:39

The Settler violence - sexual and otherwise - is terrible @logicisall . There is a more appropriate thread to post about it on though, which is the one titled Should the international community sanction Israel over settler violence in West Bank?

With respect, this thread is about the Israel Lebanon peace talks. The latest development on this subject is that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon holds, and the peace talks are scheduled for Thursday, to be held in Washington.

Sorry, to confirm, you're policing the replies on this post?

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 21/04/2026 06:39

The Settler violence - sexual and otherwise - is terrible @logicisall . There is a more appropriate thread to post about it on though, which is the one titled Should the international community sanction Israel over settler violence in West Bank?

With respect, this thread is about the Israel Lebanon peace talks. The latest development on this subject is that the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon holds, and the peace talks are scheduled for Thursday, to be held in Washington.

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logicisall · 20/04/2026 22:18

Was that fake news???

logicisall · 20/04/2026 22:15

Israelis now protesting against the killings in Palestine

Israelis are marching in Jerusalem tonight. Not Palestinians. Israelis. One protester: "Settlers attacked children and women in a Palestinian village. The IDF came and arrested the Palestinians that were attacked." "This is not democracy. This is not justice. This government is the root source of so many wrongs. We must make it stop." The opposition to Netanyahu isn't coming from outside Israel. It's coming from inside it. Never stop connecting the dots.

https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/2045630329801875778?s=20

Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) on X

Israelis are marching in Jerusalem tonight. Not Palestinians. Israelis. One protester: "Settlers attacked children and women in a Palestinian village. The IDF came and arrested the Palestinians that were attacked." "This is not democracy. This is n...

https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/2045630329801875778?s=20

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 20/04/2026 07:15

IDF says it struck primed Hezbollah rocket launcher in south Lebanon

The IDF says it struck a primed Hezbollah rocket launcher north of its “forward defense line” in southern Lebanon overnight.

The loaded launcher in the Qalaouiyah area “posed an immediate threat to IDF troops and Israeli citizens,” the military says.

The incident takes place during a ceasefire in Lebanon. The IDF says that during the truce it will “continue to take the necessary measures for self-defense against threats, while maintaining the security of Israeli civilians and the troops deployed on the ground.”

www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-struck-primed-hezbollah-rocket-launcher-in-south-lebanon/

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Original poster
Twiglets1 · 18/04/2026 08:02

From the same article:

The president thanked "all those who contributed to achieving the ceasefire", including Saudi Arabia and Trump, who announced the truce on Thursday.

The ceasefire came days after Lebanon and Israel's ambassadors to the US held a meeting in Washington, the first direct meeting between the two countries in decades, as they have technically been at war since 1948.

Negotiations with Israel is a divisive topic in Lebanon, with some seeing it as a way to end decades of recurring conflicts, while others including Hezbollah and its supporters reject it.

Direct talks with Israel were "not a sign of weakness nor a concession... negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation," Aoun added in his speech.

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