Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has publicly stated his government “dropped the ban on negotiating with Israel,” a declaration made as Israeli forces continue military operations in Lebanon. According to reports, Israel has conducted airstrikes and drone attacks in Beirut and engaged in destructive actions in Southern Lebanon, while also attempting to redefine Lebanon’s borders.
Lebanon has remained occupied both before and after the events of October 7, 2023, but Salam’s administration has focused its criticism on Lebanese national resistance groups, particularly Hezbollah, rather than the ongoing occupation. This has led to expressions of “anger and resentment” towards those who continue to refer to those confronting the Israeli military as “resistance fighters,” a sentiment echoed by singer Elissa, who has voiced “deeply racist and highly degenerate disgust” towards displaced people arriving in Beirut from conflict zones, accusing them of disrupting the lives of Lebanese citizens.
The timing of Salam’s call for negotiations and normalization comes alongside a request for Iran to withdraw its ambassador from Lebanon by Sunday, March 29, 2026. This request is reportedly due to Iran’s coordination with and support for Hezbollah in its fight against the Israeli occupation, which seeks to redraw Lebanon’s borders north of the Litani River – a goal pursued since 1948. Israeli forces have been systematically destroying bridges and roads in Southern Lebanon, mirroring the Lebanese government’s actions in severing ties with its national resistance and its supporters.
Prior to the events of October 7, 2023, parts of Lebanese territory were already under Israeli occupation, including areas like the Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba hills, totaling approximately 200 square kilometers. The northern half of the village of Ghajar remained occupied. Before “October 7,” Israel had also erected an iron fence enclosing the Lebanese portion of Ghajar, which the Lebanese government considered a full annexation of the village, along with 13 border points along the “Blue Line” that Lebanon claims as its own territory based on 1923 international borders.
Salam asserts that Hezbollah’s resistance is not born of boredom or a desire for adventure, but rather a fulfillment of national duty to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and dignity. This statement comes amid escalating tensions and a complex geopolitical landscape in the region.
According to reports, the core issue for Israel is not Lebanon’s resistance and its coordination with Iran, but rather the opportunity to achieve a long-held strategic goal: shifting its border with Lebanon to the Litani River. This project has been pursued since 1948 and was also a key objective during the 1978 invasion, even before the emergence of Hezbollah. Observers suggest that Israel views the current situation as a favorable moment to achieve what it failed to accomplish 80 years ago.
This perspective is shared by those who understand Lebanon’s historical context and have long resisted such incursions, including figures like Fairuz, Hezbollah, Rafic Hariri and Emile Lahoud. This contrasts with a “new Lebanon” represented by figures like Elissa, Salam, and Samir Geagea. The announcement from Prime Minister Salam adds to the ongoing debate surrounding Lebanon’s future and its relationship with regional powers.
