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Monday, April 20, 2026
US reportedly plans to ask Lebanon to repeal law forbidding contact with Israeli citizens
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleNava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
The United States is expected to request that Lebanon repeal its law criminalizing any contact between Lebanese citizens and Israelis, during the ongoing direct talks it is hosting between Beirut and Jerusalem, sources tell Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat.
Repealing the legislation — rooted in Lebanon’s 1955 Israel Boycott Law, which was enacted as part of broader Arab efforts to block normalization with Jerusalem — would mark a significant step in the direct talks, which aim to reach a long-term security and potentially peace agreement between the countries. A second round of talks is expected to take place in Washington on Thursday.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the US State Department do not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report.
The Times of Israel Community.