Israel says negotiations ongoing over Lebanon border, prisoners
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Thursday that negotiations are ongoing over the border dispute with Lebanon and the release of Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel.
After meeting his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot in Paris, Saar said that Turkey is playing a negative role in Syria and Lebanon, adding that Israel wants "the stability of Lebanon, the continuation of the ceasefire, and liberating Lebanon from Iranian occupation."
Saar's statement came after a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting Syria and south Lebanon and a deeper military incursion into Syria.
Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus will soon arrive in Beirut to discuss the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire after having said that the U.S. will be "bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving several outstanding issues between the two countries".
The sticking points are the release of Lebanese prisoners, the remaining disputed points along the Blue Line, and the remaining 5 points where Israeli forces are still deployed.
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