Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks after a high-level meeting at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
Trump hosted Israel’s ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. Nada Moawad in the Oval Office for a second round of U.S.-facilitated talks, a day after Israeli strikes killed at least five people including a journalist.
Trump also spoke to reporters in the Oval Office alongside the participants in the meeting, saying he hoped the leaders would meet during the three-week cessation of hostilities. He said there was “a great chance” the two countries would reach a peace agreement this year.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa also attended the meeting.
The ceasefire, reached after talks between the two nations’ ambassadors to Washington last week, was set to expire on Sunday. It has yielded a significant reduction in violence, but attacks have continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have seized a self-declared buffer zone.
‘Make Lebanon Great Again’
Ambassador Moawad, who went into the meeting seeking an extension of the ceasefire, thanked Trump for hosting the talks. “I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again,” she said.
A Lebanese official earlier said Beirut would push for an Israeli withdrawal, the return of Lebanese detained in Israel and a delineation of the land border in a next phase of negotiations.
Israel has sought to make common cause with Lebanon’s government over Hezbollah, which was founded by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and which Beirut has been seeking to disarm peacefully for the past year.
Israeli ambassador Leiter said during the meeting that the talks must focus on rooting out Hezbollah rather than on Israel withdrawing its forces. “If Hezbollah and IRGC operatives continue to be treated with kid gloves, a real process of achieving our mutual goal will remain unachievable,” Leiter said, according to remarks shared by the Israeli embassy in Washington.
Asked how the U.S. would help Lebanon to fight Hezbollah, Trump did not provide details but said the U.S. had “a great relationship with Lebanon.” Trump said Israel had to be able to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah.
Trump also called for Lebanon to abolish laws against engagement with Israel. “It’s a crime to talk with Israel?” he responded when asked about the statutes known as anti-normalization laws, which he did not appear to be aware of. “Well, I’m pretty sure that that will be ended very quickly. I’ll make sure of that,” Trump said.
Deadliest Day Since Ceasefire
Israel said it killed two armed individuals in southern Lebanon who posed a threat, amid ongoing violence that has made Wednesday the deadliest day since the April 16 ceasefire. Lebanese authorities reported additional casualties from Israeli strikes, including the death of journalist Amal Khalil, while Israel said it was reviewing reports of journalists being wounded.
Hezbollah signalled support for the ceasefire but demanded full Israeli compliance, as clashes continue. Since fighting resumed on March 2, nearly 2,500 people have been killed, with Israel maintaining a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
(With inputs from Reuters)
