Israel proposes transfer of Jewish remains from Lebanon

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is aligned with Hezbollah, reports that Israel has raised the possibility of transferring the remains of Jews buried in Lebanon to Israel. According to the report, the proposal was made during discussions regarding a potential civilian exchange. Israel cited the historical presence of Jews in Lebanon and requests from the families of Lebanese Jews to relocate the remains of their relatives from cemeteries in Beirut and Sidon to Israel. Al-Akhbar quoted Israeli sources as stating that a significant number of remains are located in these cemeteries. The report did not provide further details on the proposed exchange framework or any official response from the Lebanese government. Before the 1967 Six-Day War, thousands of Jews lived in Lebanon, with the population peaking at between 12,000 and 20,000, primarily centered in the Wadi Abu Jamil neighbourhood of Beirut. Following the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, the community dispersed, with many emigrating abroad. Moshe Zafrani, who left Lebanon at age 14, stated in a 2024 interview that Lebanese Jewish diaspora communities now reside in France, Mexico, New York, Brazil, and Israel. He estimated that approximately 30 Jews remain in Lebanon, living in secrecy to avoid public identification. Zafrani noted that while a Jewish community secretary exists and the Magen Abraham synagogue in Beirut was restored following the 2020 port explosion, the synagogue no longer hosts services. The Jewish cemetery in Sidon was reportedly subject to limited restoration during the Israeli military presence in the region during the First Lebanon War. Separately, a Lebanese diplomatic source told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network that there are no plans for a new round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel next month, suggesting that any future talks would likely occur after the summer. The source added that Israel and the United States have opposed expanding testing areas before progress is made in two previously identified zones. Furthermore, Israel and the US have demanded the withdrawal of Hezbollah from the Ali al-Taher heights in the Nabatieh region. The Lebanese delegation has rejected Israeli claims that all explosions in southern Lebanon were the result of strikes on military infrastructure.