It should be noted that they will not negotiate on Shebaa Farms until Israel leaves the region.

This is tantamount to a Syrian declaration that they believe it to be theirs, because if they did cede it to Lebanon, Israel would be out the next day, as there is no other reason to hold the land except as a bargaining chip in a land for peace deal with Syria.

Still, the negotiations are a promising development in the disaster that is Lebanon.