Israel and Lebanon Hold Rare Talks in Washington, D.C

US Officials Host First Direct Talks with Lebanese and Israeli Representatives

Washington, DC - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted a meeting between officials from Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday, marking the first direct talks between the two sides since 1983. The event took place in Washington, DC, and lasted for over two hours.

The meeting came as Israel continues its military campaign against Hezbollah, with the ongoing conflict testing the fragile ceasefire struck on April 8. Iran and Pakistan maintain that Lebanon was included in the initial ceasefire, while the US and Israel disagree on this point.

During the talks, both sides presented differing priorities. Lebanon called for an end to the conflict, which has resulted in nearly 2,124 deaths and over 1.1 million displaced residents. In contrast, Israel focused on pressing Beirut to disarm Hezbollah.

Despite their differences, both sides expressed positive remarks about the discussion. Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the talks as “constructive.” Meanwhile, Israel’s ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, highlighted points of agreement, including a push to remove Hezbollah from Lebanon.

US officials acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating that progress would take time. Secretary Rubio noted that working against decades of history and complexities is a significant challenge.

The discussions come at a sensitive moment in the US-Israel war against Iran, with Tehran warning that continued attacks in Lebanon could endanger the week-old ceasefire. The conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Hezbollah’s retaliation on March 2.

Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and was not represented in the meeting. However, news reports suggested that the group stepped up its fire on northern Israel as the negotiations began. Despite this, the talks did not appear to have an immediate impact on the conflict, with ongoing violence reported throughout the day.

Source: Al Jazeera