Delegations from Lebanon and Israel are expected to participate in a new round of talks today (23/04) in Washington. Lebanon’s goal is to secure an extension of the fragile ceasefire. It’s worth noting that Israel’s side does not appear to significantly disagree with Lebanon’s government, even encouraging the latter to choose bilateral “cooperation” against Hezbollah, which is notably absent from the negotiations as it rejects them.
Israel and Lebanon held talks in Washington on April 14th, the first since 1993, as part of efforts to end the war that Lebanon was drawn into on March 2nd, when Hezbollah launched missiles against Israel. The US subsequently announced a 10-day ceasefire in this war, which has cost the lives of nearly 2,500 people and forced over one million people to be displaced on the Lebanese side.
New round of Israel-Lebanon talks – Marco Rubio coordinating
As in the first meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will coordinate the talks between the Washington ambassadors of Israel, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon, Nada Hamade Moawad. Besides Lebanon’s ambassador, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa will also be present. According to a French Agency source at the State Department, this time US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee is also planned to participate.
Bombings continue in Lebanon
The meeting is expected to take place while the Israeli army continues bombings in Lebanon. Yesterday, journalist Amal Khalil was killed in the At Tiri community in the south, and photojournalist Zeinab Faraz was wounded, according to their employer, the Al Akhbar newspaper, and an announcement from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The official Lebanese news agency ANI reported at least four other deaths in Israeli operations during the day.
In Washington, “Lebanon will request a one-month ceasefire extension, strict adherence to the ceasefire, and suspension by Israel of destruction operations (i.e., houses, other buildings, infrastructure) in areas where it has presence,” a French Agency source in the Lebanese government stated.
“Contacts underway to extend the ceasefire”
“Contacts are underway to extend the ceasefire,” said Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun. According to him, the purpose of future negotiations is “to completely end Israeli attacks” and achieve “Israel’s withdrawal” from the country’s territory.
The two countries agreed, after the first round of talks, to begin direct negotiations toward establishing lasting peace, at a place and time yet to be determined. Lebanon’s government has assigned Simon Karam, an experienced diplomat, to lead the delegation in these negotiations.
What hinders “peace and normalization of relations”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar assured that his government has no “serious disagreements” with Lebanon’s government. “There is only one obstacle to peace and normalization (of relations) between the two countries: Hezbollah,” he added, calling on the Lebanese government for “cooperation against the terrorist state that Hezbollah has built on your territory.”
The Israeli army has entered Lebanese territory and announced it created a “yellow line” of separation in the south, just like in the Gaza Strip, to protect northern Israel’s population, as it claims. Hezbollah, for its part, claimed responsibility for an attack Tuesday in this area, in retaliation for “blatant” Israeli violations of the ceasefire, for the first time since its implementation.
Yesterday, Israel’s army announced it killed two “terrorists” who had “crossed the advanced defense line and were approaching” its soldiers. Speaking of ceasefire terms, Israel maintains it has the right to act against “planned, immediately imminent, or developing” attacks on Lebanese territory.
Iran’s demand
Tehran demanded the ceasefire in Lebanon, characterizing its implementation as one of the necessary prerequisites to continue talks with Washington toward ending the war that the US and Israel launched against the Islamic Republic on February 28th.
Lebanon’s president emphasized that future negotiations will be “separate” from talks between the US and Iran. Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is extending the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, in effect since April 8th, against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the continuing American blockade of Iranian ports.
