Israel and Lebanon have engaged in direct talks for the first time since1993.
The Lebanese and Israeli Ambassadors to the U.S. met in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday (local time).
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said the countries “discovered...we’re on the same side of the equation.”
Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad said she “emphasised the integrity of our territory and full sovereignty of the state over all Lebanese land.”
Why has it taken 33 years for the countries to speak, and what has brought on this round of talks?
Background
Lebanon was one of five countries to declare war on Israel when it declared itself an independent nation in 1948.
Tensions between the two countries escalated significantly in 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon while it was in a civil war.
Hezbollah formed during this time. The Iranian regime-backed, Lebanon-based group holds around 10% of seats in Lebanon’s Parliament, and manages education and healthcare in some parts of the country. Australia considers it a terrorist organisation.
Major conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel followed in 1996 and 2006.
Recent tensions
The day after Hamas (also backed by the Iranian regime) attacked Israel in October 2023, Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was brokered in 2024, but has proven shaky.
After the joint U.S-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel. In retaliation, Israel has repeatedly struck southern Lebanon, killing more than 350 people and displacing more than a million people. On 31 March it announced its intention to occupy the region.
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Ceasefire
Last week, after significant back-and-forth, the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week pause in the conflict.
Iran and the U.S. and Israel disagreed over whether Lebanon was included in the ceasefire. As a result, the agreement has not held.
After failed peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump began a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil passageway closed by Iran at the beginning of the conflict.
On Tuesday (local time), Israeli and Lebanese diplomats met for peace talks in Washington, D.C.mediated by the U.S.
It is the first time the two countries’ governments have had direct talks since 1993.
Response
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “We’re working against decades of history and complexities that have led us to this unique moment.”
“This is a lot more than just about [ceasefires]. This is about bringing a permanent end to 20 or 30 years ofHezbollah’s influence in this part of the world,” he said.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said: “I hope that the meeting... will mark the beginning of ending the suffering of the Lebanese people in general and the southerners in particular.”
What’s next?
The U.S. State Department, which Rubio leads, said the ambassadors had “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.”
“All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue.”
Leiter told journalists the countries will look to meet again in Washington in a few weeks.
