For the first time in 43 years: This evening (Tuesday), representatives from Israel and Lebanon met for political negotiations - with the aim of reaching a peace agreement.
The meeting, which lasted about two hours, took place at the US State Department in Washington.
On the Israeli side, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter participated, and on the Lebanese side, Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamada Muawed. On the American side, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Issa and Mike Needham from the US State Department participated.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said at the end of the meeting: "There were excellent talks in an excellent atmosphere. There was a crushing victory against Hezbollah. We are on the same side, the Lebanese people and the Israeli people, the Israeli government and the Lebanese government - we are on the same side.".
""Hezbollah, Iran's main proxy, has made clear its intention to eliminate Israel - the Jewish state and homeland - and bring death and destruction to its inhabitants. The Holocaust teaches us to take this threat seriously, and we cannot hesitate to remove it from our borders. We have the courage to do so. We also have the courage to promote peace with strength, and to work tirelessly for regional stability and prosperity.
""We work for these values for ourselves, and especially for our Lebanese neighbors of all ethnicities and communities. I commend President Joseph Aoun and his government for refusing to be hostage to the threats of the Hezbollah leader. Naim Qassem and his organization belong to the past; we are here, for the future.".
He added: "I believe wholeheartedly that we can achieve the intertwined goals: the complete dismantling of Hezbollah, the liberation of Lebanon from Iran's terrorist envoy, and the achievement of a true, stable, and mutually acceptable peace - for the benefit of our peoples.".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the talks began: "This is a historic opportunity between Israel and Lebanon. We understand that we are dealing with years of troubled relations between the two countries, but we will try to bring an end to Hezbollah's years of influence in the Middle East after many decades. Today's talks are the beginning of a long process.".
He added: "The Lebanese people are victims of Iranian aggression and this needs to end. Our hope, and I know that this will be a process, all the complexities of the matter will not be resolved in the coming hours - but we need to move within a very positive and permanent framework.".
""It will take time, but we believe it will succeed. This is a historic meeting that we hope to build on, and hope that we will define a framework for a permanent and sustainable peace.".
Today's meeting was defined as "preparatory talks" intended to set the framework for broader future negotiations. Various topics were raised in the talks, including:
The Hezbollah issueIsrael has made it clear (through statements by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz in recent days) that any permanent agreement will be conditional on dismantling Hezbollah's military capabilities or significantly removing it from the border.
Security on the northern border: Creating a mechanism that will ensure long-term security for the residents of northern Israel.
Lebanese sovereignty: The US and Lebanon are pushing to strengthen the sovereignty of the Lebanese government over its entire territory and its political system.
At the beginning of the talks, the Americans presented a guideline, according to Israel, against Hezbollah and not against Lebanon.
The sides did not claim a significant breakthrough today, and no ceasefire is expected to be declared in the coming hours, but the mere fact that the face-to-face meeting took place is considered a dramatic diplomatic achievement.
For its part, Israel proposes at this stage of the talks to address Lebanon in three sections:
1. The IDF will remain in the area that poses a risk of anti-tank fire with a constant and dense presence until Hezbollah's disarmament is complete. (This is a strip along the border line 7-8 kilometers wide)
2. The IDF will continue to work to 'cleanse' the area from terrorist nests up to the Litani River, and after clearing each area cell, the IDF will hand the area cell over to the Lebanese Army, which will guard it from the entry of Hezbollah terrorists.
3. North of the Litani River, the Lebanese Army will be solely responsible for disarming Hezbollah.
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