First Direct Meeting in Decades.. Launch of Lebanon-Israel Talks in Washington Today

SadaNews - A meeting will be held today, Tuesday, in the American capital, Washington, between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel to the United States, in an attempt to create a breakthrough in the wall of conflict that has resurfaced since March 2, and this will be the first direct meeting in decades between representatives of both parties that do not have diplomatic relations.

These talks, sponsored by Washington, come amid significant differences in goals, as Beirut seeks an immediate ceasefire, while Tel Aviv refuses to discuss a ceasefire and insists that the priority is to disarm Hezbollah and secure its northern borders.

Participating in the meeting, hosted by the American ambassador to Lebanon, Michal Aissa, are Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Maawad and Israeli ambassador Yahyael Leiter, along with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and advisor Michael Niedham, according to Axios' correspondent.

Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a U.S. State Department official, that the Israeli-Lebanese talks will address guaranteeing Israel's northern border security in the long term.

The official told Axios that the talks will focus on how to support the Lebanese government in regaining full sovereignty over its territory and political life.

The official added that the diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon would be open and direct.

According to the official, Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not with Lebanon.

According to Axios, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate in the direct negotiations scheduled for today between Israel and Lebanon.

The Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, in a speech on Monday evening, urged the Lebanese state to cancel negotiations with Israel.

Qassem stated that "the Lebanese state, in the event of aggression, must confront and commission its army and security forces to face the enemy."

He considered that "negotiating with Israel is submission and capitulation."

Qassem emphasized that "the only path to achieve sovereignty is to implement the November 2024 agreement by completely stopping the aggression, immediately withdrawing from all territories, releasing prisoners, and returning people to their villages and towns, up to the last house on the border strip and Lebanon's borders."

The New York Times clarified that this first round of talks is likely to be largely preparatory, which means that reaching a final settlement to end the war in Lebanon is not imminent.