Lebanon says US understands refusal of Aoun-Netanyahu meeting 'for now,' source tells Al Jazeera

A Lebanese official source told Al Jazeera that the United States is pursuing efforts to reduce Israeli escalation as a prelude to solidifying the ceasefire and moving toward the second phase of negotiations.

The source added that rounds of negotiations at the delegation level are expected to begin next week in Washington.

The official source also said that “the issue of weapons must eventually come to an end,” stressing that the matter requires time as well as political, social, and economic solutions.

According to the source, any Iranian effort aimed at securing a ceasefire must go through Lebanese state institutions and contribute to implementing the decision to place all weapons exclusively under state authority. 

The source added that the Lebanese presidency informed Washington that holding a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at this stage could undermine efforts to preserve stability, noting that the United States understands the Lebanese position rejecting a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu for the time being.