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Israel Revives Lebanese Jews Case to Block Beirut’s 34-Detainee Demand
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Conflict & Security

Israel Revives Lebanese Jews Case to Block Beirut’s 34-Detainee Demand

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Israel has responded to Lebanon's demand for the release of 34 detainees with a condition that Lebanese sources deem impossible: information on Lebanese Jews who disappeared during the 1980s civil war and the return of their remains.
  • The issue was discussed during US-sponsored negotiations in Rome, where Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope for positive progress on border and detainee files.
  • Lebanese sources believe Israel's demands are a tactic to justify refusing cooperation on the detainee file and to embarrass the Lebanese state, which claims no knowledge of the requested information.

Israel has presented Lebanon with what Lebanese sources are calling an "impossible" condition in exchange for the release of 34 detainees. The demand, made during US-sponsored negotiations in Rome, requires information on Lebanese Jews who disappeared during the civil war in the 1980s and the return of their remains. This condition has stalled progress on the detainee file, according to sources close to the talks.

made positive progress on the border and detainee files

— Joseph AounLebanese President Joseph Aoun commented on the progress of the US-sponsored negotiations.

Lebanon has documented 34 Lebanese individuals held in Israeli prisons, including Hezbollah fighters, nurses, and civilians. The issue of detainees was a key topic during the seventh round of negotiations, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun noting "positive progress" on both border and detainee files. However, the Israeli response has introduced a significant hurdle.

impossible Israeli conditions

— Lebanese sourcesSources following the talks described Israel's demands as 'impossible'.

Sources described the Israeli demands as a strategic move to avoid cooperating on the Lebanese detainees and to potentially embarrass the Lebanese state. They stated that Lebanon has no information regarding the remains of Lebanese Jews or the fate of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, whose case was also raised. These same issues were reportedly brought up during US-mediated maritime border negotiations in 2022, but were ultimately set aside.

demanded the return of the remains of Lebanese Jews killed during the civil war and information on the fate of Lebanese Jews who disappeared during the Lebanese civil war, particularly in the 1980s

— Lebanese sourcesSources detailed Israel's specific demands regarding Lebanese Jews.

The Lebanese Association for Prisoners and Freed Detainees is closely monitoring the situation, which involves individuals detained as far back as 1978 and as recently as 2026. The inclusion of the Ron Arad case, who disappeared in 1987, further complicates the negotiations.

impossible, so they can justify refusing to cooperate on the Lebanese detainees file and also embarrass the Lebanese state, which has no information on what the Israelis raised

— Lebanese sourcesSources explained their interpretation of Israel's motives behind the demands.
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Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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