The U.S. Department of State announced on Friday, following two days of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, that an agreement had been reached to extend the ceasefire for 45 days, allowing additional time for further progress in the talks.
In a statement, the department said that a new round of negotiations will be held in Washington on 2 and 3 June, as part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions between the two sides.
It added that a parallel track of security talks will begin at the Pentagon on 29 May, with military delegations from Israel and Lebanon participating to discuss border security arrangements.
The U.S. State Department expressed hope that these talks would contribute to achieving lasting peace between the two countries, based on full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as establishing effective security along their shared border.
This marks the third round of negotiations between the two sides, which do not maintain diplomatic relations.
For his part, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, said after the talks that ensuring his country’s security would remain essential, writing on X: “There will be good times and difficult times, but the chances of success are high.”
Meanwhile, the Lebanese negotiating delegation in Washington said on Friday that extending the ceasefire and launching a U.S.-facilitated security track pave the way toward “lasting stability.”
In a statement published by the Lebanese presidency, the delegation said: “The extension of the ceasefire and the launch of a U.S.-sponsored security track provide a necessary margin of stability for our people, strengthen state institutions, and open a political path toward de-escalation and lasting stability.”
“Futile War”
From Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called for Arab and international support for the direct talks his country is holding with Israel, criticizing Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into what he described as a “futile war.”
Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Al-Makassed Association in Beirut, Salam said: “Enough futile adventures in service of foreign projects or interests. The latest was a war we did not choose but that was imposed on us.” He reiterated the need for Lebanon to have “one weapon only” — that of the Lebanese army.
According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks since the start of the war have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including more than 400 since the ceasefire that took effect on 17 April, and displaced over one million people.
Source: AFP
