Lebanese foreign minister calls direct Israel talks the only path

Foreign Minister Joe Rajji told a French National Assembly hearing that direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are the only way to restore peace, according to AFP reporting carried by L'Orient Today. He said Hezbollah is trying to prevent the talks and argued that the military option has proved ineffective.

Why this matters. Rajji's public framing sharpens the political divide around Lebanon-Israel talks while southern Lebanon is still under fire. The watchpoint is whether Hezbollah or other Lebanese factions move to undercut the government negotiating line, or whether Washington and Paris use the statement to press for a tighter ceasefire mechanism.