US President Donald Trump has said that Israel and Lebanon are to hold “historic” talks on Thursday, April 16.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the move was aimed at easing long-standing tensions between the two countries. “We tried to get a little breathing space between Israel and Lebanon,” he said. “It’s been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, about 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!”
It is the first time in more than three decades that the two sides have agreed to talks.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 after Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel. Since then, more than 2,000 people have been killed in Israeli strikes.
On Tuesday, the United States held a trilateral meeting with Israel and Lebanon, marking their first high-level meeting since 1993.
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On Wednesday, Netanyahu spoke of the two main goals of the talks with Lebanon: “First, the dismantling of Hezbollah, second, a sustainable peace… achieved by force.”
Israel’s cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire in Lebanon, a senior Israeli official said, according to a Reuters report. The Financial Times, citing Lebanese officials, said a ceasefire could be announced soon.
Ending the fighting in Lebanon has been a key point of earlier peace talks, along with how to deal with Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
What happened during the tripartite negotiations
According to the US State Department, the talks focused on opening direct negotiations, with all sides expressing a willingness to move towards a ceasefire, security cooperation and a broader peace framework.
The US has backed Lebanon’s plans to restore its monopoly of force and curb outside influence, hoping the talks will go beyond the 2024 accord and pave the way for a comprehensive peace deal while reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself against continued attacks by Hezbollah.
According to an official statement, the US confirmed that any agreement to end hostilities must be reached between the two governments, mediated by the United States, and not through any separate route.
The United States emphasized that these negotiations have the potential to unlock significant aid for the reconstruction and economic recovery of Lebanon and expand investment opportunities for both countries.
Read also | Pakistan’s Asim Munir in Iran for peace talks as Trump says war is ‘close to over’
Pakistani Munir in Tehran to mediate peace between the US and Iran
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to try to prevent a renewed conflict. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that he, who brokered the latest round of talks, would try to “narrow the gaps” between the two sides.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi welcomed Munir to X, saying Tehran was committed to “promoting peace and stability in the region.”
According to a Reuters report, US and Iranian officials were considering returning to Pakistan for further talks as early as this coming weekend after talks ended without a breakthrough on Sunday.
Read also | Munir “de facto leader of Pakistan”, ex-minister says
“We feel good about the prospects for a deal,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press conference Wednesday, calling the Pakistan-brokered talks “productive and ongoing.”
She denied reports that the US had formally requested an extension to the two-week ceasefire agreed to by both sides on April 8.
Further face-to-face talks have not yet been confirmed but will likely take place again in Pakistan, Leavitt said.
