News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Representatives of the Lebanese government and Hizbullah traded accusations and reported almost no progress on the second day of discussions between them in Doha, Qatar.

Hizbullah's chief negotiator at the talks, Mohammed Ra'ad, refused the government's demand that the Iranian-backed group's weapons be discussed at the talks, saying that "weapons and capabilities are beyond any discussion" and claiming that the weapons were intended against Israel. However, AP reported that a member of the government team said no political deal was possible without "serious progress" on the issue of Hizbullah's weapons.

An unnamed member of the government team, meanwhile, said that no progress has been made in Doha and that the Arab League-mediated talks are "still at the beginning." The Qatar-hosted talks are meant to help the Lebanese form a national unity government and elect a compromise presidential candidate. They follow a week of violence between Shiites and pro-government militiamen in Lebanon, which left 67 people dead.