Israel has preempted a meeting with Lebanon in the United States on Tuesday by refusing to implement a ceasefire during the preliminary talks, according to Haaretz newspaper.
اضافة اعلان
Since March 2, Israel has been launching a new aggression against Lebanon, which has left 2,089 dead, 6,762 injured, and displaced more than a million people.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement on Monday evening that the talks would take place at the department's headquarters in Washington on Tuesday evening. Participating in the talks are Israeli Ambassador Yehiel Leiter, Lebanese Ambassador Nada Muaouad, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Washington's Ambassador to Beirut, Michel Issa.
Lebanon sought to obtain a commitment from Israel for a ceasefire during the talks, which have been criticized by "Hezbollah." However, Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv only agreed to restrict attacks on the capital, Beirut, and to reduce the intensity of strikes in other Lebanese locations.
Haaretz quoted unnamed Israeli sources on Tuesday stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views the start of the talks as "a tactic to gain time without stopping the fighting, while demonstrating good faith toward the Americans and President Donald Trump." The sources expressed "skepticism regarding the possibility of making progress in the talks."
The newspaper also quoted an informed source stating that Muaouad will be joined by two former Lebanese ambassadors to Washington, Simon Karam and Antoine Chedid. In contrast, Leiter is not expected to be joined by Israeli experts or diplomats, only members of the embassy staff.
The report added that the disarmament of "Hezbollah" is a top priority for Israel, though it remains unclear if Leiter intends to link any progress in communications to disarmament. While the Lebanese government—under American and Israeli pressure—has begun implementing a plan to disarm "Hezbollah," the group maintains its weaponry, emphasizing its role as a "resistance movement" against the Israeli occupation.
Haaretz continued: "Leiter will arrive at the talks with instructions not to agree to a ceasefire (...), which will make it extremely difficult to find common ground with the Lebanese."
According to Yedioth Ahronoth on Tuesday, a joint statement from the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors is expected after the meeting, noting that no additional meetings have been scheduled for this week.
The newspaper claimed that "Israel has agreed to reduce and adjust its strikes to align with the negotiations; in Beirut, the army is refraining from launching attacks and must obtain political approval for any strike. However, in southern Lebanon, Israel continues its operations forcefully against Hezbollah."
"Currently, Israeli officials do not place much stock in the talks, as it is unlikely that the Lebanese government will be able to disarm Hezbollah, and it may not be willing to do so," according to the newspaper.
