A New Round of Negotiations Kicks Off Today Between Lebanon and Israel.. Beirut Requests an Extension of the Ceasefire

SadaNews: A second round of talks between Lebanon and Israel, sponsored by the United States, is taking place today, Thursday, in Washington, during which Beirut intends to request an extension of the ceasefire that has been in effect since April 17 for an additional month.

On Wednesday, Israel called on Lebanon to "cooperate" in confronting Hezbollah, which refuses these talks, affirming that there are no "serious differences" with Lebanon.

The recent war between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on March 2 after the party launched rockets at Israeli territories in response to the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.

The two sides, which have been officially at war since 1948, held a round of talks in Washington on April 14, the first of its kind since 1993, in an attempt to end the war.

Two days after these talks, the United States announced a ten-day ceasefire in the war, which resulted in the martyrdom of more than 2,400 people in Lebanon and the displacement of over one million.

Participating in Thursday's talks, similar to the previous round, are U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanon's Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamada Muaouad, and the Israeli Ambassador in Washington, Yahyal Leiter, with the attendance of the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Aissa. This time, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, will also join them, according to an official from the U.S. State Department speaking to the French news agency.

This session comes as Hezbollah and Israel exchange accusations of violating the ceasefire. Israel is carrying out airstrikes that it claims target elements of Hezbollah preparing attacks against it, resulting in regular casualties. It continues to carry out bombing and demolition operations in border villages and prevents residents of dozens of villages from returning. In contrast, Hezbollah announces operations against the Israeli army inside Lebanese territories and targeting northern Israel in response to what it sees as violations of the ceasefire.

According to the text of the ceasefire agreement published by the U.S. State Department last week, Israel retains the "right to self-defense" against ongoing or planned operations against it.

The French news agency quoted a Lebanese official source on Wednesday stating that "Lebanon will request an extension of the ceasefire" that ends at the end of this week, "for a month, halting Israeli bombing and destruction in areas occupied by its army and committing to ceasefire."

In the same context, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced on Wednesday that "contacts are ongoing to extend the ceasefire period."

He added, according to a statement from the presidency, that "the negotiations being prepared are based on completely halting Israeli aggressions and achieving Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territories."

The two countries agreed during the first meeting to initiate direct negotiations "at a mutually agreed time and place," as stated by U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Bigot at the time.