War in the Middle East: Israel and Lebanon agree to start direct negotiations with Washington

US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio warns “that it goes beyond a simple day and will take time.”

An opening on the diplomatic front. Israel and Lebanon agreed on Tuesday, April 14, to continue negotiations towards a lasting peace following productive discussions in Washington between representatives of both countries, the first of their kind since 1993. “All parties have agreed to begin direct negotiations on a date and place to be mutually determined”, explained the US State Department in a statement. US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, who brought together Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad, had previously welcomed a “historic opportunity” for Lebanon and Israel to make peace.

The Tuesday meeting lasted a little over two hours. “We discovered today that we are on the same side,” said the Israeli ambassador to journalists. “We are both united in our desire to free Lebanon from the pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah,” he added. His Lebanese counterpart described this as a “preparatory meeting” as “constructive” and called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The absent Hezbollah, described these discussions as a “surrender” and claimed responsibility for rocket fire towards thirteen Israeli border locations as the talks began.

While the Iranian front has experienced a ceasefire since April 8, Lebanon is not part of the truce according to Israel, which continues to strike Hezbollah and has not withdrawn from the southern part of the country. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that the negotiations in Washington mark “the beginning of the end of the suffering of the Lebanese people.” But “stability will not be restored in the South (of Lebanon) if Israel continues to occupy territories there,” he added.

Tuesday’s discussions aim to “define a framework on which a lasting peace can be built”, Marco Rubio envisioned. “It goes beyond a single day, it will take time.” “It is time for Israel and Lebanon to work together,” urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set two conditions: disarmament of Hezbollah and the pursuit of a “real peace agreement”, as the two countries are still technically at war for decades.

The Israeli ambassador to the United States criticized France’s role in Lebanon on Tuesday, stating that Paris has no place in negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. Speaking to the press following direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, Yechiel Leiter said, “We definitely do not want to see the French interfere in these negotiations.”

“We would like to keep the French as far away as possible from practically everything, but especially when it comes to peace negotiations,” continued the Israeli representative, in undiplomatic terms. He was asked by a journalist whether the Israeli government had made a concerted effort to keep France out of these negotiations.

“They are not necessary. They have no positive influence, especially not in Lebanon,” he added. France joined seventeen countries on Tuesday in calling on Lebanon and Israel to “seize the opportunity” of these direct peace talks mediated by the United States. But Paris, with strong historical ties to Lebanon, also pushed to include the Lebanese front in the ceasefire agreed upon by the US with Iran, much to the dismay of Israel.

Emmanuel Macron convened a new defense council on Wednesday at 11 a.m. devoted to the situation in the Middle East.