Lebanon’s president declines to speak with Netanyahu, despite Trump saying they would

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has declined to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Lebanese official told CNN, after US President Donald Trump said the two leaders were set to hold historic talks.

“We told America we aren’t ready to take that step,” the official told CNN.

Officials in Lebanon have told Israel and the US they would not seek further negotiations until a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is reached. Israel’s security cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss a possible truce.

Earlier on Thursday, Israeli officials said Netanyahu and Aoun were scheduled to talk – after Israel and Lebanon held their first direct discussions in more than four decades in Washington, DC, this week. Trump also said the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would speak in a social media post – without giving any details on where or how they would communicate.

Israel has said it is not yet seeking to end its war with the Iran-backed group, which has killed more than 2,167 people and uprooted over 1.2 million residents from their homes.