Lebanese Rift Undermines Saudi Push for Israel Talks Unity

A deepening rift between Lebanon's top leaders has undermined Saudi Arabia's push to unify their stance ahead of potential direct talks with Israel, according to Lebanese political sources and foreign officials.

The discord centers on President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, whose positions reflect broader societal divisions under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system. Aoun has advocated face-to-face negotiations in Washington to convert the current ceasefire into permanent agreements. Sources familiar with his views said he has privately indicated readiness to normalize ties with Israel to end the conflict. Berri, a close ally of Hezbollah, opposes direct talks and favors only a non-aggression pact, without full normalization, aligning with the group's stance.

Last week, Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan visited Beirut to urge Aoun, Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to adopt a unified position, demonstrated through a tripartite meeting. Plans for the gathering collapsed amid escalating tensions after Berri publicly described Aoun's negotiation statements as "inaccurate, to say the least." Aoun met Salam on Thursday, according to a presidential...