Israel National News reports: “Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday that his country is ready to negotiate with Israel and will seek US assistance to initiate talks, as Israeli airstrikes intensify against Iran-backed Hezbollah.

‘I repeat the same offer of readiness to negotiate with Israel,’ Salam said in an interview with Bloomberg TV, referencing previous overtures by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to resolve land border disputes and secure Israeli withdrawal from areas retained after last year’s war.

Salam, a former head of the International Court of Justice, pointed to the US-brokered 2022 maritime border agreement as proof that diplomacy is possible. ‘They ask for negotiations and when we show readiness they don’t agree to the rendez-vous,’ he said. ‘That’s something I’ll be bringing up with the Americans.’

Tensions remain high a year into a US- and French-backed ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel accuses Beirut of failing to uphold its obligation to disarm Hezbollah, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US…”