Lebanon heads into a new round of talks with Israel on Tuesday in Washington, with Beirut determined to press ahead with direct negotiations even as they appear overshadowed by Iran’s decision to make Lebanon part of its own negotiations with the United States.
Lebanese officials have insisted that face-to-face negotiations with Israel are the only way to secure an end to the war raging since March 2, when Hezbollah fired at Israel in support of Iran, triggering Israeli air and ground attacks that have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon. But four rounds of talks since April have failed to produce a durable ceasefire. Instead, the longest lull in fighting came this week after Iran and the U.S. agreed a memorandum of understanding stipulating that fighting halt across all fronts, including Lebanon, a deal that buoyed Hezbollah while dealing a blow to the Lebanese state, whose leaders had repeatedly warned Tehran cannot negotiate on Lebanon’s behalf.
A Lebanese official and two foreign officials told Reuters the Iran-U.S. deal had pulled the rug out from under the Lebanese state, leaving it in its weakest position yet. “There remains a fundamental problem of trust between us and the Israelis in these talks. We cannot fulfil their demands, and they reject all of ours,” the Lebanese official said.
Lebanon To Seek Israeli Withdrawal Timeline
Lebanon has said securing an Israeli military withdrawal is a key goal, though top Israeli officials say troops will remain in southern Lebanon indefinitely. Beirut will demand Israel present a “reasonable” timetable for withdrawal. “This is the only chance we have to generate momentum in these talks, and in this tug-of-war with Iran,” the official said. Israel, meanwhile, says the talks aim at “disarming Hezbollah and achieving a genuine peace agreement,” according to government spokesperson David Mencer, who said Hezbollah’s disarmament was the only obstacle to a deal.
Hezbollah Bets On Iran As Negotiator
Karim Safieddine of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy said Israel could take an even more hardline stance given its anger over the U.S.-Iran deal, with “no structural change” in either side’s position suggesting progress. Talks began in mid-April after the U.S. announced a ceasefire to enable a diplomatic process, though Israeli strikes on Beirut’s suburbs eased while fighting continued in southern Lebanon. A new ceasefire initiative in early June, contingent on Hezbollah halting fire, was rejected by the group, which wants Lebanon to rely on Iran’s negotiations rather than its own direct talks with Israel.
(with input from Reuters)
