Lebanon received a complex demand from Israel – media
The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported on closed contacts between Israel and Lebanon. The Israeli delegation proposed a humanitarian deal: the release of civilians in exchange for assistance in locating the remains of the Jewish community in cemeteries in Beirut and Sidon. Lebanon seeks amnesty for 34 citizens but considers Israel's demand extremely complex due to the lack of archival data. The talks are mediated by the United States.
The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, close to Hezbollah, reported on closed contacts between Israel and Lebanon. According to the publication, the Israeli delegation proposed a separate humanitarian deal: the release of civilians in exchange for assistance in locating and returning the remains of members of the Jewish community buried in old cemeteries in Beirut and Sidon. The Israeli side considers this a top priority. The talks run parallel to discussions on the release of 34 Lebanese citizens serving sentences in Israeli prisons. Lebanese representatives called the demand extremely complex, citing the lack of archival data on the location of the graves. The contacts occur against the backdrop of US mediation. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun confirmed consultations on a ceasefire, border demarcation, and pilot zones. Historical context is mentioned: the persecution of Lebanon's Jewish community, the fate of navigator Ron Arad, whose plane was shot down in 1986, and the 2008 exchange when Israel handed over the bodies of militants in exchange for the remains of soldiers Regev and Goldwasser.