Lebanon says security track with Israel ‘not separate’ from political process

Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos said Wednesday that the security track of negotiations with Israel "is not separate" from the political process, describing it as a "technical component."

"The security track is not independent from the political track, but rather an essential technical part related to cooperation with the United States in order to achieve Lebanon's sovereign goals," Marcos told Anadolu.

He added that meetings related to the security track would be held at the end of the month with the participation of Lebanese military officers.

A Lebanese delegation that participated in the third round of talks with Israel in Washington on May 14-15 announced earlier that the parties agreed to extend an ongoing ceasefire by 45 days until early July.

According to the delegation, the extension would allow for the launch of a US-sponsored security track on May 29, while a formal political track is scheduled for June 2-3 in Washington.

Morcos stressed the need for a full ceasefire and an end to Israeli attacks, saying this "has not yet been achieved in the required manner."

He told reporters that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun considers the issue a "necessary condition" for advancing other demands in the negotiations.

Morcos said Lebanon's "sovereign goals," pursued jointly by Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, include the liberation of occupied territory, Israeli withdrawal and the release of prisoners, paving the way for displaced people to return and reconstruction efforts to begin.

He also said there was "American understanding" of Lebanon's position and noted full coordination between Aoun, Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri regarding the negotiations.

The minister additionally addressed the targeting of journalists during the conflict, saying he had requested legal measures and coordination with international humanitarian law bodies to document violations and submit information to international institutions.

According to Lebanon's Press Editors Syndicate, 27 journalists have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2.

Since March 2, Israel has carried out a large-scale offensive on Lebanon that has killed 3,042 people and wounded 9,301 others, and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the country's population, according to Lebanese officials.