Lebanon and Israel Hold Direct Talks in Washington

The Lead

A third round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon has kicked off in Washington, DC, days before the expiration of a ceasefire that hardly halted Israeli attacks and Hezbollah's response to them.

The Event Details

The talks, which began on Thursday, represent a step towards more serious negotiations, with higher-level envoys from Lebanon and Israel taking part after the initial preparatory sessions were headed by the ambassadors of the two countries to Washington.

The Parties Involved

Lebanese officials are hoping that the two-day negotiations will yield a new ceasefire deal and pave the way for tackling a series of thorny issues, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah.

• Lebanon's envoy heading up Thursday's talks, Simon Karam, is an attorney and well-connected former Lebanese ambassador to the United States.
• On the Israeli side, Deputy National Security Adviser Yossi Draznin was set to attend.

The Impact Analysis

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attended the first Israel-Lebanon meetings in Washington in April, was with US President Donald Trump on a visit to China and did not attend Thursday's session.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, is not part of the talks and has been vocally opposed to Lebanon engaging in direct negotiations with Israel.

The Prediction

Still, there is optimism. The cessation of hostilities agreement is due to expire on Sunday, so there is an expectation that this will be front and centre in discussions.

The immediate objective is to prevent the situation along the border from escalating into a broader regional conflict.