Senior official says ceiling of any talks with Israel is 1949 agreement

The ceiling of any indirect Lebanese negotiations with Israel will be the 1949 Armistice Agreement and any talks will be aimed at addressing the disputed border points and Israel’s withdrawal from the five occupied hills, a senior Lebanese official said.

“Lebanon’s concern during this period is focused on two issues: ending the Israeli occupation in a full manner, addressing the 13 disputed points … and building the reconstruction process for the residents who were displaced from the border towns,” the official told Kuwait’s al-Anbaa newspaper.

A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that representatives of the Israeli and Lebanese armies, the U.S. and France agreed during a meeting of the ceasefire committee in Naqoura to "establish three joint working groups aimed at stabilizing the region."

"These groups will focus on the five points controlled by Israel in southern Lebanon, discussions on the Blue Line and remaining disputed areas, and the issue of Lebanese detainees held by Israel," the statement added.

An Israeli political source said Wednesday that "the discussions are part of a broad and comprehensive plan."

“The Prime Minister's policy has already changed the Middle East, and we want to continue the momentum and reach normalization with Lebanon. Just as Lebanon has claims regarding the borders, so do we. We will discuss these matters," the source told Israel’s Channel 12.

"We and the Americans think that this is possible after the changes that have occurred in Lebanon," the source said.

The United States announced Tuesday that it will be “bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving several outstanding issues between the two countries.”