Representations from Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold a new, second in a row, round of ambassador-level talks, under the auspices of the US.
Beirut is seeking to secure an extension of the fragile ceasefire, in place from April 17.
Israel’s diplomacy assured before these talks that ithas no “serious disagreements” with the Lebanese government, urging the latter to opt for bilateral “cooperation” against Hezbollah, a Shiite group affiliated with Iran.
Hezbollah rejects the negotiations.
The two countries held talks in Washington on April 14,the first since 1993, as part of an effort to end the war Lebanon was drawn into on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel.
The U.S. then announced a 10-day cease-fire.
As in the first meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will coordinate talks between Israel’s Jehiel Leiter and Lebanon’s Nanda Hamadeh Mowaad ambassadors in Washington. In addition to the Lebanese ambassador, the US ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Isa, will also be present. According to a French Agency source at the State Department, this time the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee,
“Only one obstacle”
In Washington, “Lebanon will ask for a one-month extension of the ceasefire, strict observance of the ceasefire and a suspension by Israel of operations (….) destruction operations (of houses, other buildings, infrastructure) in the areas where it has a presence,” a French News Agency source in the Lebanese government said.
“Contacts are under way to extend the ceasefire”, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said. According to him, the aim of future negotiations isto “completely end Israeli attacks” and to have “Israel’s withdrawal” from the country’s territory.
The two countries agreed, after the first round of talks, to begin direct negotiations with a view to restoring a lasting peace at a time and place yet to be determined.
The Lebanese government has assigned Shimon Karam, a seasoned diplomat, to lead a delegation to these negotiations.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar assured that his government has “no serious disagreements” with that of Lebanon. “There is only one obstacle to peace and normalization (of relations) between the two countries: the Hezbollah,” he added, calling on the Lebanese government to “cooperate against the terrorist state that Hezbollah built on your territory.”
The Israeli army has moved into Lebanese territory and announced that it has created a “yellow line” of separation in the south, just like in the Gaza Strip, to protect the population of northern Israel, he said.
Hezbollah, for its part, claimed responsibility for an attack the day before yesterday (Tuesday) in that area in retaliation for “flagrant” Israeli violations of the cease-fire for the first time since it came into effect.
Yesterday the Israeli army said it had killed two “terrorists” the day before who had “crossed the advance defense line and were approaching soldiers” in the area.
Speaking of the terms of the ceasefire, Israel maintains that it has the right to act against “planned, imminent or ongoing” attacks on Lebanese territory.
The ceasefire in Lebanon has been demanded by Tehran, calling its implementation one of the necessary conditions to resume talks with Washington in view of ending the war.
Lebanon’s president stressed that future negotiations will be “separate” from talks between the US and Iran.
Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he was extending until further notice a ceasefire with Iran, in effect since April 8, against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
At the diplomatic level, however, the situation remains confused – no negotiations have resumed, as they were supposed to earlier this week, in Islamabad between Washington and Tehran.
