JERUSALEM, April 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu said Thursday he ordered his cabinet to open direct talks withLebanon to disarm Hezbollah and establish "peace relations" between the twocountries. "In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations withIsrael, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations withLebanon as soon as possible," his office wrote in a statement. "Negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peacerelations between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanon's cabinet on Thursday instructed security forces to restrict weaponsin Beirut exclusively to state institutions, in a warning to Hezbollah. Before then, Israel and Lebanon, which have no formal diplomatic relations,had insisted on keeping military officers in the role.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha April 09, 2026 17:44 UTC