Israel-Lebanon talks said to include request to relocate Jewish graves to Israel

The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reports that, as part of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon over a permanent agreement, Israel has requested the transfer of remains of Jews buried in cemeteries in Lebanon to Israel.

According to the report, the Israeli side has pointed to a large number of Jewish graves in Beirut and Sidon which belong to people who have relatives currently living in Israel.

The issue was reportedly raised in the context of talks over Lebanese prisoners who were detained during the war in Lebanon and are being held in Israel, whose release Lebanon is demanding.

According to the report, Israel proposed transferring the remains from Lebanon as part of what it called a “civilian prisoner exchange deal,” which would include the transfer of the remains and the release of only some of the detained Lebanese, excluding Hezbollah operatives.

The Saudi Asharq News TV station reported last week that the talks in Rome included a “legal” track which dealt with Lebanese prisoners held by Israel — separate from detained Hezbollah operatives.