Israel, Lebanon hold third round of 'productive, positive' peace talks: US official
Washington DC, May 15
Israel and Lebanon concluded the third round of peace talks, which lasted over eight hours at the US State Department on Thursday, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post.
The delegations from both countries will meet again on Friday for further discussions. A State Department official termed the talks "productive and positive".
As per the Jerusalem Post, the official added, "We look forward to continuing this tomorrow and hope to have more to share then".
According to the outlet, the US mediation of the talks was led by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Secretary of State Marco Rubio's adviser Michael Needham, and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa.
The Israeli delegation was led by Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, who was accompanied by the IDF Head of Strategy, Brig.-Gen. Amichai Levin, a representative from the National Security Council, and the acting Israeli military attache in Washington.
The Lebanese delegation comprised Lebanon's former ambassador to the US, Simon Karam, current Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, and Lebanon's military attache in Washington.
Prior to the negotiations, an Israeli official had told the Jerusalem Post that the talks aimed to discuss a framework for an agreement in greater depth.
It was reported that this was the first round to be attended by military representatives and came shortly before the expiration of a three-week ceasefire extension, which was earlier announced by the US President on April 23.
Meanwhile, Israeli military actions continue with the IDF sharing footage from the elimination of Hezbollah terrorists and the dismantling of terror infrastructure on its X handle, noting that since the beginning of the operation, "IDF troops have eliminated 400+ terrorists and located 1,000+ weapons used by Hezbollah terrorists".
— ANI
Reader Comments
Peace talks are always better than violence. But it's concerning that military operations continue even during negotiations. How can you call it 'productive' when one side is still taking out terrorists? Reminds me of our own challenges with terrorism in Kashmir. True peace requires both sides to stop the guns.
The US is playing a good role here as mediator. Israel and Lebanon have a complex history, like us with Pakistan. But ending Hezbollah's terror infrastructure is a must for any lasting peace. India understands that terrorists can't be part of any agreement. Kudos to the US for facilitating this.
I'm cautiously optimistic. Peace in the Middle East would be a huge global good. But I'm skeptical when I see 1,000+ weapons seized even as talks happen. It feels like the military track is moving faster than the diplomatic one. Hope the next round brings concrete agreements, not just more 'positive' statements.
Finally some good news from that region! 🤞 As an Indian, I know how devastating endless conflict can be. The fact that they're meeting for a third round is itself a big achievement. But I wish the talks included civilian voices too — peace shouldn't just be about military agreements.
This is all theater. Israel continues its military operations while talking peace. Lebanon has Hezbollah in its backyard. The US is trying to look like a mediator while being Israel's biggest ally. Real peace requires honesty about the terrorism problem and a genuine commitment to Lebanese sovereignty. India knows that dance well.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.