Washington, June 3: A new round of direct talks aimed at reducing tensions between Israel and Lebanon has commenced in Washington. This initiative comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump claims to have secured significant agreements to ease tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese presidential office stated on Monday that Hezbollah has accepted a U.S. proposal calling for “mutual cessation of attacks” between the two parties. This information was relayed by the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon. According to the statement, this confirmation followed a telephone conversation between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which they discussed Lebanon’s situation and efforts to reduce regional tensions.
Under the proposal, both Israel and Hezbollah will refrain from attacking each other. The agreement stipulates that Israel will halt airstrikes on southern suburbs of Beirut, while Hezbollah will cease its attacks against Israel. There is potential for this ceasefire arrangement to be expanded throughout Lebanon in the future.
According to the Lebanese Embassy, President Trump informed Lebanon’s Ambassador to the U.S., Nada Hamadeh Muwad, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also agreed to this proposal. Ambassador Muwad then briefed President Aoun, who subsequently informed Hezbollah leadership about the developments.
The embassy noted that discussions scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday will aim to advance the progress made in this direction. Previously, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had also communicated to the U.S. administration that Hezbollah is prepared for an immediate and complete ceasefire with Israel. U.S. media reports indicate that Berri assured that if an agreement is reached, its implementation will be guaranteed.
Analysts believe that if this proposal succeeds, it could lead to a reduction in the long-standing tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border and prove to be a significant step towards restoring stability in the region.