Middle East War: Lebanon and Israel resume discussions in Washington

The National Information Agency (official) reported bombings in the south, following deadly raids that killed 22 people, according to Beirut. In northern Israel, a Hezbollah drone attack also injured several civilians, according to the Israeli army. This third meeting between the representatives of the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations, is taking place at the State Department and is scheduled to last two days.

During their last meeting on April 23 in Washington, Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed hope for a historic reconciliation between the two Middle Eastern neighbors. The U.S. president speculated that in the meantime he would host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House. However, this meeting did not materialize, with the Lebanese head of state demanding an agreement on security issues and an end to Israeli attacks beforehand.

Consolidation of the ceasefire

Hezbollah, on the other hand, reiterated its rejection of these negotiations on Thursday, with one of its deputies, Ali Ammar, denouncing a “free concession” to Israel. The ceasefire has been extended until Sunday, May 17. Since it came into effect on April 17, over 400 people have died in Israeli strikes, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel has reserved the right to continue targeting Hezbollah, the Shiite movement that dragged Lebanon into the regional war following the start of the Israeli-American offensive against Iran on February 28. “Whoever threatens the state of Israel will die because of their own fault,” warned Benjamin Netanyahu last week after the assassination of a senior Hezbollah military leader in the heart of Beirut.

In its own indirect talks with Washington, Iran demands that any ceasefire also include Lebanon – meaning that Israel stops hitting Hezbollah. “In Washington, Lebanon is seeking ‘consolidation of the ceasefire’,” said a senior official requesting anonymity. “The priority is to put an end to the deaths and destruction.” Over 2,800 people have died in Lebanon since the start of the conflict in early March, including at least 200 children, according to Beirut. Israel is targeting especially the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, and the southern part of the country where it seized a border strip and previously occupied a portion between 1982 and 2000.

Disarmament of Hezbollah

Washington says it supports Lebanon’s sovereignty over its entire territory and calls on authorities to disarm the powerful Hezbollah. The United States “recognize that global peace depends on the complete restoration of the authority of the Lebanese state and the total disarmament of Hezbollah,” the State Department stated.

According to them, “these talks should aim to break decisively with the failed approach of the past two decades which allowed terrorist movements to take root and prosper, while undermining the authority of the Lebanese state and threatening Israel’s northern border.” Unlike the previous negotiation session, neither U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio nor Donald Trump are present: they are on an official visit to China.