Lebanon and Israel are set to hold “peace talks” at the ambassadorial level at the U.S. Department of State in Washington on Tuesday—marking the first such high-level engagement in decades—though prospects for a breakthrough appear limited.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend the talks, alongside Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Maalouf, and Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yehiel Leiter. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Washington time.
The agreement to hold the talks followed a phone call between the two ambassadors, with the participation of the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, aimed at launching a negotiation track and reaching a ceasefire, according to the Lebanese presidency.
Israel confirmed its agreement to begin “formal peace negotiations” with the Lebanese government, but stressed it would not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah during the talks, describing the group as the main obstacle to peace.
Even before the meeting, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called for canceling the negotiations, describing them as “futile.”
According to Axios, a U.S. State Department official stated that Israel is “at war with Hezbollah, not with the Lebanese state,” noting there is no obstacle to direct dialogue between the two sides.
If a ceasefire is not reached, discussions are expected to focus on steps Israel is demanding from the Lebanese government to curb Hezbollah’s activities, amid continued escalation between the two sides.
The latest war between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2, after the group launched rockets toward Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader in a U.S.-Israeli strike on Tehran on February 28. Israel responded with large-scale airstrikes and a ground incursion into southern Lebanon. Since then, more than 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon and over one million displaced, despite international calls for a ceasefire.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “as a direct result of Hezbollah’s irresponsible actions, the Israeli and Lebanese governments have begun open, direct, high-level diplomatic talks—the first of their kind since 1993—under U.S. auspices.”
According to the official, the talks aim to ensure long-term security along Israel’s northern border and support the Lebanese government’s efforts to restore full sovereignty over its territory and political life.
An Israeli government spokesperson said the dialogue aims to disarm Hezbollah, remove it from Lebanon, and establish peaceful relations between the two countries, reiterating that Israel will not negotiate a ceasefire with the group while it continues attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed support for direct talks, on the condition of Hezbollah’s disarmament and reaching a lasting peace agreement.
On the Lebanese side, President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that the Washington meeting would lead to a ceasefire in Lebanon, paving the way for direct negotiations between the two countries, which have technically remained in a state of war for decades.
U.S. diplomacy has faced challenges in recent weeks due to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which may complicate broader regional negotiations. While Washington calls for respect for Lebanon’s territorial integrity, it also supports what it describes as Israel’s right to self-defense.
A former Israeli security official noted that it would take “a great deal of imagination and optimism” to believe the conflict could be resolved in Washington, adding that expectations remain low. He suggested that Israel may seek to establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon similar to the one it maintains near Gaza.
