WASHINGTON — Lebanon and Israel held their first diplomatic talks in over three decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. In a statement after the two-hour session ended, the State Department praised the two sides for what it called “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.” “The United States affirmed that any agreement to cease hostilities must be reached between the two governments, brokered by the United States, and not through any separate track,” the State Department said. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter hailed a “wonderful exchange” during direct peace talks with Lebanon, saying the two countries were “on the same side.””We enjoyed it together. We had a wonderful exchange of over two hours,” Leiter told reporters following the talks. “We discovered today that we’re on the same side,” he said, adding: “We are both united in liberating Lebanon from (an) occupation power dominated by Iran called Hezbollah.” Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and was not represented, appearing to step up its fire on northern Israel as the discussions began. Hezbollah said it had launched “simultaneous rocket salvos” at 13 northern Israeli towns shortly after the start of the discussions, following an Israeli warning of a rise in attacks during the talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who mediated the talks, had earlier urged the two countries to seize a “historic opportunity” for peace. “We understand we’re working against decades of history and the complexities that have led us to this unique moment and the opportunity here,” Rubio said at the State Department as he welcomed the ambassadors of the two countries. “The hope today is that we can outline a framework upon which a current and lasting peace can be developed,” he added. Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on 2 March after Hezbollah attacked Israel, it said in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then Israeli strikes, including an extremely heavy attack on Beirut on April 8, have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than 1 million, despite international calls for a ceasefire. Netanyahu said on Saturday that “we want the dismantling of Hezbollah’s weapons, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations.” President Donald Trump’s administration insists on the disarmament of Hezbollah, but also respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, while simultaneously upholding Israel’s rights, positions that appear difficult to reconcile. A former Israeli defence official told journalists on condition of anonymity Monday that it would take “a lot of imagination and optimism to think” that the issues between Israel and Lebanon can be solved in Washington Tuesday, adding that “expectations are low.” Israel has said its operations in Lebanon are aimed at disarming and dismantling the group, which it also fought in 2023 and 2024 as the war in Gaza raged. Lebanon called for a ceasefire and measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis” in the country. The two countries do not have diplomatic relations, and the last direct, high-level talks between them took place in 1993. From the Lebanese side, President Joseph Aoun said he hoped the talks would “mark the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and those in the south in particular”. He said the “only solution” to the conflict would be in the Lebanese armed forces “being solely responsible for the security of the area”. The Lebanese government’s capacity to confront Hezbollah, however, is limited.Ahead of the talks, a senior member of the organization said it would not abide by any settlement agreed in Washington. “We are not bound by what they agreed to,” said Wafiq Safa, a member of Hezbollah’s political council. Hezbollah, a sophisticated militia group that was founded in 1982, holds enormous sway in Lebanon’s predominantly Shia south as well as in the southern suburbs of its capital, Beirut. Politicians affiliated with the group also hold two cabinet-level positions with the government. Their relationship with Lebanon’s central government has become increasingly strained since the group moved to enter the war between Israel and Iran. — Agencies
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