Khaberni - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said today, Tuesday, that the government is not seeking a confrontation with the Hezbollah group, backed by Iran, but will not allow it to be intimidated while continuing direct talks with Israel to end the war.
At a press conference held alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Salam said that negotiations with Israel would be tough and that he would need the help of all Lebanon's partners as direct ambassador-level talks continue later this week in Washington.
Salam added, "We continue on this path, driven by our conviction that diplomacy is not a sign of weakness but a responsible act to leave no stone unturned in restoring the sovereignty of my country and protecting its people."
The Lebanese government head confirmed that Lebanon demands a "complete withdrawal" of Israeli forces from its territory, along with the return of prisoners and displaced Lebanese, as part of the ongoing negotiations with Israel, before a new meeting scheduled for Thursday in Washington.
The United States hosts a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, aimed at pushing forward towards reaching an agreement after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to what a US official informed AFP.
500 million euros to address the crisis
In this regard, Nawaf Salam stated that his country needs 500 million euros to address the humanitarian crisis over the next six months amidst a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
His statements came following the official announcement that the toll of Israeli strikes in Lebanon has risen to 2,454 killed and more than 7,600 injured since the outbreak of the war between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2nd.
