The first direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in move 40 years began today (Tuesday) at the American State Department.
The meeting is taking place at the US State Department in Washington, with Israel making it clear before it began that the talks will have no impact on the fighting in Lebanon.
At the same time as the talks opened, the IDF announced preparations for increased fire from Hezbollah. As they began, incessant alarms sounded in Kiryat Shmona and other settlements in the Galilee region, after a drone strike at the entrance to Nahariya.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before the talks began, "The Lebanese people are victims of Iranian aggression, and this needs to stop. And so our hope here, and I know this will be a process, is that all of the complexities of this matter are not going to be resolved in a very positive context from a terrorist proxy of Iran. So that is the hope here today."
Rubio added that this is a lengthy process, "This is more than just one day. This will take time, but we believe it is worth this endeavor, and it is a historic gathering that we hope to build on. And the hope today is that we can outline the framework upon which a permanent and lasting peace can be developed."
Participating on the Israeli side is Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, and on the Lebanese side is Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamada Muawed. Participating on the American side are US Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Issa and Mike Needham from the US State Department.