Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a “historic opportunity” as Israel and Lebanon launched what officials described as their first direct talks in more than four decades on Tuesday, with envoys signaling they are “on the same side” against Iran-backed Hezbollah and expressing cautious optimism the effort could lay the groundwork for a durable peace.
The roughly two-hour session between Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad marked the highest-level engagement between the two sides in decades — and the first direct talks since 1993 — as U.S. officials facilitated discussions aimed at launching a formal negotiation track.
Israel and Lebanon have technically remained in a state of war since Israel’s founding in 1948, making Tuesday’s meeting a significant diplomatic breakthrough after more than 40 years without direct negotiations.
In a joint statement following the talks, the United States, Israel, and Lebanon said they held “productive discussions” and agreed to launch direct negotiations “at a mutually agreed time and venue,” signaling the start of a broader diplomatic process aimed at a potential peace agreement.
Rubio cautioned the effort would unfold gradually, describing it as “a process, not an event,” while expressing hope the talks could establish a framework for a “permanent and lasting peace.”
The talks unfolded against an active conflict backdrop, with Hezbollah — an Iran-backed terrorist organization designated by the United States and others — launching attacks on Israel as the meeting began and triggering warning sirens in the north.
Israeli officials have made clear the talks will proceed alongside continued military operations against Hezbollah, maintaining pressure on the group while testing a diplomatic path forward.
Washington emphasized that any agreement to cease hostilities must be negotiated directly between Jerusalem and Beirut, rejecting efforts to link the track to separate U.S.-Iran negotiations and reiterating support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah’s continued attacks.
Israeli officials used the meeting to press for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its infrastructure, with the joint statement noting Israel’s commitment to eliminating “all non-state terror groups” in Lebanon while pursuing a “durable peace” through direct negotiations.
Lebanon, for its part, reiterated what officials described as an “urgent need” to fully implement the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, calling for a cessation of hostilities alongside measures to address the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Lebanese officials have emphasized the crisis facing civilians, while U.S. and Israeli officials have pointed to Hezbollah’s continued entrenchment and attacks as a central driver of the instability.
Despite the differences in emphasis, Leiter struck an optimistic tone following the talks, telling reporters, “We discovered today that we are both on the same side of the equation,” adding that both countries are “united to liberate Lebanon from the occupying power dominated by Iran called Hezbollah.”
He described the meeting as laying out a “long-term vision” for clearly defined borders and eventual normalization, arguing that Hezbollah’s weakening — alongside broader pressure on Iran — has created a rare opening for diplomacy.
“This is not a pipe dream, it’s a reality,” Leiter said in separate remarks, adding that recent developments have created an opportunity to degrade Iran’s regional proxies and advance peace.
Officials indicated the talks could ultimately pave the way for normalization and potential expansion of the Abraham Accords framework, though they cautioned the process remains in its early stages.
The terror group has rejected the negotiations outright, with Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem opposing talks with Israel and warning of further escalation, underscoring the challenges facing the diplomatic track.
