Ambassadors from Lebanon and Israel are meeting in Washington, D.C., on Thursday for the first direct negotiations between the two nations in decades, according to Al Jazeera.
The talks involve the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States, alongside US ambassadors Michael Issa and Mike Huckabee, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This follows an initial meeting held on April 14.
Lebanese officials intend to demand an extension of the current ceasefire as a precondition for further negotiations. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has also stated that Lebanon will seek a full Israeli withdrawal and the return of Lebanese captives.
A nation split by resistance and diplomacy
Public opinion in Lebanon remains deeply polarized regarding the diplomatic approach. In Beirut, a shopowner expressed the atmosphere of fear, telling Al Jazeera, “No, I don’t want to comment on the negotiations. If I say the wrong thing, someone might come hit me.”
While some view the negotiations as the state's only viable option, others reject the talks, arguing that Hezbollah’s path of armed resistance is the only way to achieve a positive outcome.
The diplomatic efforts occur while Israeli military operations continue on Lebanese soil. Al Jazeera reported that Israel has killed 2,294 people in Lebanon since March 2, following an escalation in the conflict triggered by Hezbollah's response to Israeli-US actions in Iran.
Recent strikes have continued even as the ceasefire holds. On Wednesday, an Israeli strike killed five people, including journalist Amal Khalil. On Thursday, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported that another attack killed three people.
Israel has also established a 'yellow line' approximately 10 kilometers from the border, a buffer zone where residents are prohibited from returning. The outlet reported that Israel has demolished homes and villages within this area, displacing more than 1.2 million people.
Al Jazeera's report noted heavy destruction in the towns of al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, and Qlaileh, where buildings have been reduced to rubble.
