First formal Israel-Lebanese talks mediated by the US start next month

DEBKAfile\s Washington sources reveal that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to launch formal negotiations, under Trump administration mediation, on their longstanding maritime and land disputes after the Succoth festival in mid-October.

The live wire in bringing the sides together was US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenkar. Our sources disclosed on Sept. 20 that his mission was off to a good start under the impetus of President Trump’s drive for yet another Middle East coup in the run-up to the November elections, after the normalization deals between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain..

Read DEBKAfile’s first disclosure of the steps leading up to the forthcoming formal negotiations.