Report: Aoun tells US he'll meet Netanyahu at end, not start, of talks
President Joseph Aoun has informed Washington that he does not intend to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the beginning of the proposed negotiations, but rather when they conclude, MTV reported.
"This means that if the negotiations succeed, they will culminate in a meeting with Netanyahu under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump," MTV said.
It noted that an understanding between Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to postpone their tripartite meeting is due to "the Israeli escalation, the (evacuation) warning to 16 southern villages, and to avoid embarrassing Berri in front of his southern constituency."
MTV added that there is a U.S. understanding of Aoun's concerns regarding meeting Netanyahu at the beginning of the negotiations, and sources familiar with the contacts expect the White House to schedule a meeting between Aoun and Trump soon.
Israel considers the extension of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon until mid-May a window of opportunity to reach a genuine understanding, amid talk of resuming and escalating the war should the direct negotiations, sponsored by Washington, fail.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11) quoted an Israeli source as saying, "Israel cannot wait indefinitely. An additional two weeks will be given for negotiations, after which action will be taken."
The source added that Tel Aviv plans to return to "intensive fighting and activity" against Hezbollah if no progress is made during this period.
Meanwhile, the source indicated that the administration of US President Donald Trump is seeking to use this timeframe to push for a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, despite the prevailing skepticism among the parties involved on both sides regarding the feasibility of such a meeting.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an Israeli official as saying, "Our problem is that the decision-maker regarding the ceasefire with Lebanon is Trump."
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