BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Israel is seeking to delay ongoing negotiations with Lebanon because of the upcoming Israeli elections in October, according to a Lebanese source.
The source said Israel’s statements about the alleged failure of pilot arrangements concerning military units in southern Lebanon were also intended to delay the process and buy time.
“We tried to spare the Ali al-Taher heights from the battle, but our efforts were unsuccessful,” the source said, adding that current Israeli military indicators did not suggest an expansion of military operations beyond the Ali al-Taher area.
The source rejected suggestions that the Lebanese army had been negligent, stressing that the authorities were seeking to avoid internal bloodshed.
According to the source, Israel does not want an international force deployed in southern Lebanon and instead seeks direct contact with the Lebanese army.
The Lebanese government has also reportedly sent messages to Hezbollah seeking consultations because the group could play a role in supporting state-led negotiations.
However, the source said Hezbollah had not yet responded to those messages.
The source also claimed there was an international consensus that Hezbollah could neither be disarmed quickly nor through the use of force.
The comments come amid continuing tensions in southern Lebanon and efforts to advance negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.
