Israel and Lebanon agree to continue talks after landmark meeting in US
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to continue direct talks at the political level, the US State Department announced following a meeting between the two countries in Washington. It was the first time since 1993 that Israeli and Lebanese representatives had held talks at this level.
Representatives from Israel and Lebanon met on Tuesday at the US State Department. The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and his Lebanese counterpart, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, were present.
According to the US, the two have agreed to continue direct talks. No concrete details have been provided and the timing and location have yet to be finalised. The US State Department called it a “historic opportunity”.
Following the two-hour meeting, Leiter described the talks as “excellent”. “We discovered today that we are on the same side of the equation,” he said. “That's the most positive thing we could have come away with." The two are "both united in liberating Lebanon” from the pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah.
The Lebanese ambassador also described the talks as “constructive”. Moawad told Lebanese TV channel MTV that she had pressed for a ceasefire and the return of displaced persons. She also called for concrete measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis Lebanon is suffering as a result of the ongoing violence.
Israel is waging war against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Lebanon is not directly involved in the conflict. However, the country is demanding a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from its territory. Israel is calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
"We discovered today that we are on the same side of the equation"
Belgium, with 16 other countries including the UK and Spain, called on Israel and Lebanon to “seize the opportunity” during the talks.
“We welcome the initiative by [Lebanese] President Aoun to open direct talks with Israel and the acceptance by Israel to start the talks facilitated by the United States,” they said in a joint statement on Tuesday. “We call on both parties to seize this opportunity.”
They condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks by Hezbollah against Israel, “which must cease immediately”, as well as “the massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon conducted on 8 April”.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio (centre) with Lebanese ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad(R) and Israeli ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter (L), Washington, 14 April 2026 © PHOTO ANDREW HARNIK / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / VIA AFP
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