Uncertainty shrouds Lebanon-Israel talks as Israeli bombardment continues
The two countries' ambassadors are scheduled to meet at the State Department at 11:00 am Tuesday.
WASHINGTON — Lebanon and Israel will hold their first official direct talks in decades on Tuesday, but uncertainty over whether the meeting will cover an Israeli ceasefire with Hezbollah has cast doubt on the American effort to mediate between the two neighbors.
The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington will meet at the State Department as the fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah enters its seventh week. On the eve of the talks, deadly clashes rocked the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, as the Israeli military said it encircled the Hezbollah stronghold Monday.
Lebanon was dragged back into war after Hezbollah began firing missiles into Israel on March 2, prompting Israeli attacks that have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than 1.2 million.
Lebanon and Israel lack diplomatic relations and have not demarcated their border. Civilian representatives of both countries met for direct talks last December under the ceasefire‑monitoring mechanism in southern Lebanon, marking a tentative step toward deescalation.
