Netanyahu tells cabinet to start direct talks with Lebanon

[Twiglets1]

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".

It's not unhinged though is it. It's a journalist who has spent time in Israel with Israelis with footage of multiple Israelis making appalling, racist, genocidal comments. Why don't you watch it. You might rightly feel disgusted. Or perhaps not...
Perhaps you are not aware of the recent law to impose the death penalty specifically on Palestinians found guilty of terrorism by whatever courts exist in Israel. This includes throwing stones. There has been footage released of Israeli politicians, particulary Ben Gvir laughing, toasting and showing multiple Palestinian prisoners tied up and in terrible conditions.
I'm unsure how anyone decent, with a brain and heart can simply ignore these atrocities.

Hezbollah has a lot of support in Lebanon so I’m not sure it would be in the governments interest to welcome (or support) ousting them?

https://theweek.com/politics/how-much-support-does-hezbollah-have-in-lebanon

Strange ... when I am on holiday and talking to hotel staff the conversation is normally light and uncontroversial, generally very pleasant.

I wonder what could be so genuinely shocking about conversations Israelis are having with hotel staff. Are they on "another planet" with requesting a late check out or something?

Not just the US try to help. Many nations do.

Game-Changing Support for Lebanon’s Army Is Europe’s Best Bet | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

It looks like I can't contribute much to this conversation. Appears to be a "sensitive" subject on my web.

@Twiglets1 Yes, that would be my approach as well, but sadly that is not the case with some of the conversations I have over heard.

Do you think your second paragraph is clever? Clearly I’m not referring to them asking for a late check-out, but you do you 👍

A lot of support only from some sections of the population, according to your source:

Yet the popularity of Hezbollah among Lebanese citizens remains "sharply divided across sectarian lines", according to polling carried out earlier this year by The Washington Institute think tank. Whereas 93% of Shias expressed a positive view of Hezbollah, with 89% saying they have a "very positive" opinion, only 34% of Sunnis and 29% of Christians said the same.

A nationally representative survey by Arab Barometer, carried out between February and April 2024, drew a similar conclusion. Despite Hezbollah's significant influence in the country, just 30% say they have "quite a lot or a great deal" of trust in the organisation. Once again levels of trust vary greatly by sect.

Given that the Shia group Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organisation by the US and other Western governments, as well as by Israel, Gulf Arab countries and the Arab League... it seems to me appropriate if some of those other countries (not just the US) could help the Lebanese government to tackle the problem.

@Twiglets1 Shias are the largest demographic in Lebanon, followed by Sunnis and then Christians. Each demographic is 30-35%, so by those percentages, they have the support of around 50% of the country.

Unless you were hanging about Reception your whole stay in order to over hear multiple conversations between Israeli guests and hotel staff, I am baffled by your posts.

We can all overhear the odd obnoxious comment from guest to staff in hotels but multiple ones ... and all by people from one small country ... nah.

There are a lot of Israelis here at the moment, be baffled as you like. I’m not hanging around in reception, it’s happening to/ from and during breakfast. Perhaps they’re watching the morning news and it’s on their mind, but they’re clearly seeking sympathy.

What genuinely shocking things are you hearing them say on their way to/from and during breakfast to the hotel staff who obviously can’t disagree with them.

That they wanted a cappuccino not the normal coffee?

Of course its unhinged, it starts with a rant and contains no balance whatsoever. Of course I am aware of the new law promoted by extremists and the focus of much opposition inside Israel and in the diaspora - and quite likely still to be overturned. How does Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic deal with opposition?

@Twiglets1 It amuses me that you can’t conceptualise that some people over share. They’re being asked how they are by the staff, if they slept well, or how far they’ve travelled, etc. The staff are friendly here. I’ve been here well over a week so I’ve time to overhear a couple of odd responses.

You can keep trying to dismiss what I’m saying with bizarre comments about late check-out out and cappuccino but it doesn’t make what I’m saying any less true.

Hmm... seems like they mainly have the support of just one group ... and Hezbollah are doing no favours for the country as a whole.

Also from your source: It's estimated that 85% of Lebanese people are now living below the poverty line. "The country's been reeling economically, and if Hezbollah seems to invite a devastating Israeli assault on Lebanon, then some number of Lebanese would consider that reckless and damaging,"

And again ... A nationally representative survey by Arab Barometer, carried out between February and April 2024...(found about Hezbollah's significant influence in the country)... just 30% say they have "quite a lot or a great deal" of trust in the organisation. Once again levels of trust vary greatly by sect.

A couple of odd responses ... bit of a contrast from your initial claim that "I am genuinely shocked by some of the things I have heard. It is hard to hold my tongue. They’re on another planet".

@Twiglets1 It’s a significant proportion of the country. You are extremely dismissive of any information which doesn’t fit your point of view. I also never said Hezbollah was doing the country any favours, I just said it will be tricky for the Lebanese government to be too welcoming of change given Hezbollah have significant support in the country.

You met a significant proportion of the population of Israel in a hotel?

They’re odd responses to what they are being asked. As you (and I) previously stated we wouldn’t be bringing up these topics with staff. That is separate to the fact I find the things they’re saying out of touch with reality and devoid of sympathy.

Yes of course it's tricky for the Lebanese government. It's a very hard problem. They could likely benefit from help from countries friendly to Lebanon - who consider Hezbollah a terrorist organisation - lending support to the Lebanese military and security forces at this difficult time, as they try to demilitarise Hezbollah.

I'm astonished that the pro-Israel folks are still saying the same stuff and think the rest of us will be persuaded by it. Too late. We've seen for ourselves just how obscenely fascist and violent the far right in Israel is (by no means every single Israeli citizen) we've seen how thousands of innocent Palestinians, held without charge, are treated in Israeli jails.
We've seen how Gazans were denied the basic human rights of food and water, by Israel.
We've seen IOF soldiers mocking Palestinian women by parading in their underwear after invading their emptied homes.
We've seen the far right celebrate with champagne, when they passed a law to execute Palestinian prisoners. That was one of the most gruesome displays I've ever seen.
We also know that all we have seen is just a fraction of the horrors Palestinians, in both Gaza and The west Bank endure daily at the hands of Israeli authorities.
Yet, the pro-Israel crowd continue to post propaganda in thr vain hope we might be persuaded? Nope. Zionism has lost the propaganda war, because we've all seen too much.
Free Palestine 🇵🇸

This thread is about Lebanon & Hezbollah so it seems it is you who is "saying the same stuff" even though this thread isn't even about Gaza.

@TreesandGreen ”Free Palestine 🇵🇸 “

from the radical Islamists that infiltrated them and caused the situation they find themselves in, yet again.

Don’t attack Israel, don’t get attacked back.

Israel will prevail. 🇮🇱

You've also seen Hamas film themselves murdering torturing and raping innocent Israelis on 7 October and getting a heroes welcome in Gaza. You've seen how Hamas treat any opposition and heard voices of moderate Palestinians plead for freedom from Hamas. You've seen the Islamic Republic murder 10s of 1000s of its own citizens, beat up and murder women for not wearing hijab and imprison children and execute teenagers for daring to oppose them. Free Palestine, indeed, from these monsters.

It's not unhinged because Sharon on MN happens to disagree with it. What you describe as 'a rant' is a normal person, with a normal response to mass murder behaving in a shocked manner. How easily you dismiss these shocking things. It's chilling. No wonder these atrocities take place. Some people have learned nothing from history.

That's the thing. We aren't in the 1930s/40s anymore. There is so much footage of genocidal, abusive behaviour from the Zionists. The Israelis have lost a great deal of support now that this has been exposed.