Netanyahu Authorizes Talks With Lebanon

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon aimed at disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the neighbors. The two countries have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948. The announcement Thursday offered a potential boost to ceasefire efforts in the region. There was no immediate response from Lebanese authorities. The tentative ceasefire in the Iran war has staggered under the weight of Israel’s bombardment of Beirut and Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Netanyahu made the announcement amid disagreement over whether the ceasefire deal included a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.