Barak: Dialogue between Damascus and Tel Aviv has begun

Amid the acceleration of the Syrian-Israeli file and the abundance of analyzes about it,
American envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak, revealed the start of dialogue between Damascus and Israel, emphasizing at the same time the necessity of a radical change in the Lebanese position.

This came during a press conference he held in Beirut on Monday after meeting with the Lebanese president and a number of officials, where the meeting addressed the issue of disarming Hezbollah and ways to open channels of dialogue with Israel.

Barak described his meetings with Lebanese officials as "important and remarkably successful," expressing his satisfaction with Lebanon's response to US demands regarding disarming Hezbollah, considering the Lebanese response to be within the scope that Washington seeks to achieve.

Barak emphasized that "the Lebanese state is authorized to deal with Hezbollah as a political party," adding that the party needs to feel that it has a "future in the Lebanese system."

Regarding the tensions along the southern borders, the American envoy confirmed that Israel, despite repeated violations of the ceasefire, "desires peace with Lebanon," noting that his country is working on formulating a comprehensive plan for Lebanon's future in the absence of trust between Israel and Hezbollah.