Netanyahu orders direct talks with Lebanon, US media reports first talks to be held in the US next week According to a report by Golden Finance, on April 10th, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement on April 9th stating that Prime Minister Netanyahu had instructed the Israeli government the day before to initiate direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible. According to US media reports, the first negotiation will be held in the United States next week. The Prime Minister's Office stated that the focus of the negotiations is to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon and "establish peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon". The statement said that this move was made against the backdrop of "multiple requests from the Lebanese side to initiate direct negotiations with Israel". Netanyahu said that Lebanese Prime Minister Salam called him on the 9th to seek the "demilitarization of Beirut". Israel and Lebanon have not established diplomatic relations. According to a report on the US news website Axios on the 9th, a senior Israeli official stated that the first direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon will be held next week at the US State Department in Washington, D.C. The Israeli side will be represented by its Ambassador to the United States, Jehiel Wright, while the Lebanese side will be represented by its Ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamad Mouawad. The US delegation will be led by the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Michelle Issa. Xinhua News Agency