Israel to reject proposed ceasefire with Hezbollah before Lebanon talks begin

US Diplomats Meet with Lebanese Officials Ahead of Talks in Washington

A meeting between Israeli and Lebanese officials is set to take place in Washington next week, as tensions continue to escalate in Lebanon. The talks are expected to mark the beginning of formal negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, despite the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter stated that the discussions would start formal negotiations with the Lebanese government. However, he ruled out any discussion involving Hezbollah, citing the organization’s continued attacks on Israel as a major obstacle to peace.

The meeting comes as Israeli strikes intensify across Lebanon. On Saturday, an air strike destroyed a residential building in Mayfadoun, killing three people. The US and Beirut have reportedly urged Israel to pause its attacks before the talks.

Washington has requested a temporary halt to hostilities from both the Lebanese government and the Trump administration. However, the White House has not publicly confirmed this request.

Iran has stated that it will not engage in negotiations without a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The US vice president, JD Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner are part of an American delegation meeting with Iranian representatives in Islamabad.

The talks between the US and Iran are set to begin on Saturday. Tehran had agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities earlier this week, which includes an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. However, Israel has rejected this interpretation and continued its military campaign.

The situation remains volatile, with fighting in Lebanon showing no signs of easing. The US and Israeli war on Iran began on February 28, leading to a cross-border retaliatory attack by Hezbollah on March 2. Since then, Israel has carried out repeated strikes, violating the ceasefire hundreds of times.

Source: Al Jazeera