Israeli and Lebanese officials have initiated a third round of peace discussions in Washington. The talks, taking place at the US State Department, involve representatives from both sides. Israel’s team includes its ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and senior security officials, while Lebanon is represented by its ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, and former Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam.
The primary focus of the negotiations is to address the disarmament of Hezbollah and establish official relations with Lebanon. Israel aims to maintain the freedom to conduct air and ground operations against Hezbollah until a consensus is reached. Conversely, Lebanon is pushing for an Israeli withdrawal from its territory, cessation of Israeli attacks, and a halt to the destruction of border villages.
The recent escalation began on March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel. Following a three-week extension of the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on April 24, there were indications of potential direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington. This development was preceded by a meeting in the Oval Office attended by high-ranking officials from both nations.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu subsequently instructed the Israel Defence Forces to intensify attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on April 26. The Israel Defence Force has been actively responding to aerial threats originating from Lebanon, targeting rocket launch sites and Hezbollah infrastructure through air and ground operations.
