Lebanon, Israel start first direct Washington talks with clashing agendas
Lebanon Israel talks: Tel Aviv presents 6 demands including Hezbollah disarmament and permanent peace deal, while Beirut seeks minimum truce
Lebanese and Israeli delegations are scheduled to meet today at the US State Department at 6:00 PM Beirut time in the first direct negotiation session between the two countries. Lebanon is represented by Ambassador Nada Hamada Maouad, Israel by Ambassador Yecheil Leiter, while US Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa serves as mediator, with symbolic participation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Beirut: Truce first, then negotiations
In this context, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said that what is needed for de-escalation is a minimum truce to allow negotiations to take place in a calm atmosphere, noting that the war is raging in the south and shelling continues. He explained that President Joseph Aoun is negotiating on behalf of Lebanon in agreement with the Prime Minister.
Tel Aviv: Two main demands and four additional requests
In contrast, Israel outlines two main demands: a peace deal that lasts for generations, and the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. Reports indicate that Tel Aviv will present four additional demands: dismissing the Lebanese army commander, dismissing Hezbollah ministers, drying up the party’s funding sources and closing its institutions, and issuing arrest warrants for its leaders. No official Lebanese comment has been issued on these demands so far.
Disagreement over joint statement
An official photo will be taken of the two delegations, with the table arranged in a U-shape with both sides facing each other and the mediator between them. No joint statement will be issued despite an Israeli request, due to Lebanese refusal, and two separate statements will be issued by Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Lack of internal coordination and Hezbollah’s rejection
Diplomatic sources confirm that the negotiations were coordinated directly between President Aoun and the US ambassador, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was not informed in advance. Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem announced his absolute rejection of any direct negotiations with Israel, while Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri gave implicit approval without direct declaration.
Previous negotiating milestones
Lebanese-Israeli relations have witnessed rare negotiating milestones, most notably the 1949 armistice agreement in Ras al-Naqoura, the May 17, 1983 agreement which collapsed under internal and Syrian pressure, then indirect negotiations after Operation Grapes of Wrath in 1996 and the 2006 war, and finally the maritime border negotiations of 2020-2022 which ended with a technical agreement in October 2022.
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