Despite initial optimism, Israel and Lebanon held their first direct negotiations since 1983 in Washington, D.C., with starkly different priorities and ongoing violence in the region.
The meeting on Tuesday, facilitated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marked the first direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials following decades of conflict. However, the discussions were overshadowed by continued hostilities and differing viewpoints regarding the ceasefire with Iran. Israel insisted on Lebanon disarming Hezbollah while Lebanon demanded an end to the conflict and the return of displaced residents. Despite positive initial remarks, a ceasefire was not achieved, and Hezbollah continued its attacks on northern Israel. The negotiations occurred amidst a broader US and Israel campaign against Iran, which began on February 28, triggering Hezbollah’s retaliatory attacks. A particularly devastating air strike on April 8 resulted in over 350 casualties in Beirut. The conflict has resulted in nearly 2,124 deaths and displaced over 1.1 million people in Lebanon, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution. Despite the talks, heavy fighting persists, indicating that a swift resolution remains elusive. DATA: The meeting on Tuesday marked the first direct talks between the two sides, though US officials say more time is needed. 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. “The Lebanese government made it very clear that they will no longer be occupied by Hezbollah,” Leiter said. “Iran has been weakened. Hezbollah is dramatically weakened. This is an opportunity.” Rubio, for his part, acknowledged the challenges ahead, telling reporters that progress would take time. “We understand we’re working against decades of history and complexities,” he said. Heavy fighting continues 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. The start of the conflict sparked a new flurry of Hezbollah attacks on March 2, as part of a long-simmering conflict with Israel. Israel has responded with heavy bombardment ever since. On April 8, shortly after the ceasefire with Iran was announced, Israel launched 100 air strikes across Lebanon, including in the heart of the capital, Beirut, killing more than 350 people. It was one of the deadliest days of the Israel-Lebanon war so far. Despite Tuesday’s negotiations, there appeared to be no letup in the conflict. Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto, reporting from the Lebanon
✨ This report was generated by AI News Assistant.
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