Lebanese Foreign Minister Excluded from Israel-Lebanon Talks Over Hezbollah Stance

Lebanese Foreign Minister Joseph Aoun Regie has been completely excluded from the upcoming direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel due to his nationalist opposition to Hezbollah, according to a report by Kan News on Monday evening. Ahead of the new round of talks set to begin Tuesday in Rome, a Lebanese political source told Kan News that President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Mikati are sidelining Regie from the peace talks because of his critical views toward the terrorist organization Hezbollah. Regie, a member of the Christian Lebanese Forces party led by Samir Geagea, is considered one of the most vocal opponents of Hezbollah within the Lebanese government. His party has already complained to Beirut's leadership about his exclusion from the negotiations. Regie was also not included in President Aoun's recent visit to the United States, where Aoun met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House for the first time. The political source explained that the Lebanese leadership is cautious not to "anger Hezbollah and the Shia Amal movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri," which is why Regie, seen as a red line, is kept out of the process. This development signals that despite important steps taken by Beirut's leadership against Hezbollah and toward direct talks with Israel, they are not yet willing to fully commit to the process. Separately, the Lebanese army recently uncovered a Hezbollah weapons cache in one of the pilot zones, despite official statements, while Syria reportedly prepares to act against Hezbollah in Lebanon.