New round of Israel-Lebanon talks starts in Washington
Washington, June 2
A new round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks has commenced here after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had secured commitments from Israel and Hezbollah aimed at easing regional tensions.
Lebanese authorities have confirmed that Hezbollah has agreed to a U.S. proposal for a "mutual cessation of attacks" with Israel, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency on Monday, citing the Lebanese embassy in Washington, Xinhua news agency reported.
Lebanese authorities have confirmed that Hezbollah has agreed to a US proposal for a "mutual cessation of attacks" with Israel, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, citing the Lebanese embassy in Washington.
The statement, released on Monday (local time), said that the confirmation followed a phone call between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the situation in Lebanon and efforts to de-escalate tensions were discussed.
According to the embassy, the US proposal calls for a reciprocal halt to attacks by both sides.
Under the proposed arrangement, Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs would cease in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from its attacks against Israel. The ceasefire framework would later be expanded to cover all of Lebanese territory.
The embassy said that US President Donald Trump later informed Lebanon's ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, that he had secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approval of the proposal.
Mouawad relayed the outcome to Aoun, who in turn informed Hezbollah of the development, the statement said.
Negotiation meetings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to continue building on the progress achieved, the embassy added.
Earlier, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that he has told the Trump administration that Hezbollah is prepared for a full and immediate ceasefire with Israel, and that he would guarantee its implementation, US media outlet Axios reported Monday, citing Berri's top advisor, Ali Hamdan.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Mutual cessation of attacks sounds good in theory, but implementing it is another story. 🕊️ As someone who follows West Asia closely, I'm cautiously optimistic. Lebanon has suffered too much - Beirut's southern suburbs have seen enough destruction. Hope this Trump-brokered deal has more substance than previous attempts. India has always supported peace in this region.
Honestly, I'm skeptical. How many times have we seen ceasefire agreements fall apart in this region? The Lebanese Parliament Speaker guaranteeing Hezbollah's compliance - that's a big if. India has its own border challenges, so I understand the desire for stability, but these talks need to address root causes, not just temporary pauses.
Good news for the Middle East! 🤞🏽 As an Indian, I've seen our diplomats work tirelessly for peace in the region. The EU, UN, and US all have roles to play, but ultimately it's the people of Lebanon and Israel who need to want peace. Let's hope this mutual cessation leads to broader stability.
I appreciate the diplomatic efforts, but this feels like deja vu. The Trump administration's approach has been transactional - "mutual cessation" sounds more like a business deal than a genuine peace process. India has always favored dialogue over conflict, but real peace requires addressing Palestinian rights and security concerns, not just managing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Finally some positive movement! 🙏 The fact that Hezbollah is even considering this through official Lebanese channels is significant. India and Lebanon have historical ties - we've always supported Lebanon's sovereignty. Let's hope the negotiations
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.