Talks to extend the ceasefire, with mediation by the US and diplomatic processes for de-escalation and maritime demarcation in the Middle East.
At a time of increased diplomatic mobility in the Middle East, Washington is emerging as a central arena for contacts between Israel and Lebanon, as the two sides examine critical issues of security and stability under strong American mediation, as Reuters notes. The planned talks come in the wake of a recent ceasefire and are part of a broader effort to prevent further escalation, with a key attention to prolonging the de-escalation and maintaining the fragile balance in the region. At the same time, sensitive issues such as maritime demarcation and regional military movements, which continue to affect bilateral relations and geopolitical stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, are also on the table.
Israeli and Lebanese officials are due to hold talks in Washington on Thursday, an Israeli source told Reuters on Monday on condition of anonymity, confirming that this is the first contact of this kind since the implementation of a 10-day ceasefire that came into force last week.
Israel will be represented by its ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, according to the same source.
The course of the talks
The scheduled talks come at a time when US officials are making efforts to extend the ceasefire. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Washington is pushing in that direction, but he refrained from specifying whether he supports opening direct negotiations with Israel, a possibility Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is reportedly considering.
Lebanon’s MTV television network reported that the timing of Aoun’s visit to Washington will depend on developments in the coming days and whether an extension of the ceasefire is reached over the weekend. According to the same report, the Lebanese side insists that President Aoun’s meeting with US President Donald Trump be held bilaterally, without the participation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a separate statement, Lebanese Energy Minister Joe Shadi said the map published by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which shows an “advanced naval defense zone” extending from the Lebanese coast, does not affect the maritime demarcation agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in 2022.
“From a legal point of view, this map does not change anything in terms of the fact that there is a maritime delimitation agreement,” Sandy told Reuters. “Quite simply, the agreement is in place and nothing changes.”
