Israeli and Lebanese officials have held their first direct negotiations since 1983, as Israel continues its deadly military campaign against Hezbollah. On Tuesday, both sides met in Washington, DC, and spoke for more than two hours in an event hosted by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon has tested the fragile ceasefire struck on April 8, which paused the US and Israel’s war on Iran for two weeks.
Iran and ceasefire mediator Pakistan maintain that Lebanon was included in the initial ceasefire, while the US and Israel argue it was not. At Tuesday’s meeting, the two sides entered with sharply different priorities. Israel ruled out discussing a ceasefire with Lebanon and instead pressed Beirut to disarm Hezbollah.
Lebanon, meanwhile, called for an end to the conflict, which has killed nearly 2,124 residents and displaced more than 1.1 million in its territory. Both sides emerged, however, with positive remarks about the discussion. Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, described the talks as “constructive”.
But she added that she had called for a ceasefire, the ability for displaced people to return to their homes, and measures to ease the humanitarian crisis in her country. Israel’s ambassador, Yechiel Leiter, called the discussions a “wonderful exchange”. He highlighted points of agreement, including a push to remove Hezbollah from Lebanon.
Hezbollah is dramatically weakened. This is an opportunity.” Rubio, for his part, acknowledged the challenges ahead, telling reporters that progress would take time. Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and was not represented in the meeting.
Instead, news reports suggested it stepped up its fire on northern Israel as the negotiations began. The discussions come at a sensitive moment in the wider US-Israel war against Iran, as Tehran warns that continued attacks in Lebanon could endanger the week-old ceasefire. The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
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