Lebanon and Israel Hold First Direct Talks

The first direct talks between Lebanon and Israel concluded on Tuesday in Washington, hosted by the U.S. Secretary of State. The Israeli ambassador stated that Lebanon and Israel are "standing on the same front" in the struggle to "liberate Lebanon from Hezbollah." Rubio held discussions with Israeli Ambassador Yehiel Leiter, Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamad Muawad, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michele Isaza, and U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mike Waltz. The meeting lasted over two hours, and after the session, the Israeli ambassador told reporters that both sides are expected to issue a joint statement.

"We discovered today that Israel and Lebanon stand on the same front," he said. He praised the meeting as "very successful," adding: "This is our most positive outcome from this meeting. We all want to liberate Lebanon from occupation and remove the control of Iran-backed Hezbollah."

Previously, the U.S. Secretary of State had stated that "this move aims to completely end Hezbollah's influence in the region, which has persisted for decades." Mr. Rubio said, "This is a historic opportunity. We recognize that we must confront decades of history and the complex factors that have brought us to this unique moment and present opportunity."

The Secretary emphasized, "This is a process, not a one-time event. It won't happen overnight—it requires time." The U.S. Secretary stressed that Tuesday’s talks aimed to "build a framework capable of establishing lasting peace." A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously, said the goal is to ensure that "Iran is no longer allowed to dictate Lebanon’s future."

Even before the talks began, Iran-aligned Hezbollah—despite not sending representatives—rejected the meetings, calling them "surrender." On Tuesday, the Israeli military warned that Iran-aligned Islamic movements are expected to intensify their artillery attacks against Israel.

Since March 2, when Hezbollah drew Lebanon into a regional conflict with Iran, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 2,000 people—including an unprecedentedly deadly strike on April 8—and displaced over 1 million people, despite international calls for a ceasefire.

On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated he would accept direct dialogue under two conditions: first, "Hezbollah disarms," and second, a "genuine peace agreement that benefits future generations."

On Monday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that Lebanon could reach a ceasefire agreement to initiate direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. The two nations have been at war for decades.

The Trump administration has insisted on Hezbollah’s disarmament and criticized the Lebanese army for both its inability and lack of intent to do so. However, Washington faces a dilemma: on one hand, it demands respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity; on the other, it defends Israel’s right to self-defense.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862484915396619/

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