In a significant diplomatic development, Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington, in a meeting brokered by the United States and hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The talks, described by U.S. officials as a “historic opportunity,” brought together Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh at the State Department. The meeting lasted approximately two hours, with no immediate breakthrough or follow-up date announced.

Rubio acknowledged the complexity of the effort, noting that the sides are working through “decades of history,” but expressed hope that the discussions could lay the groundwork for a more stable future.

“But we can begin to move forward with a framework where something can happen, something very positive, something very permanent,” Rubio said, adding that the goal is for Israelis to “live without fear” and for the Lebanese people to have a better future.

A State Department official emphasized that the talks had been in planning for about a month and are not connected to recent U.S.-Iran negotiations in Pakistan. The official also took aim at Hezbollah, stating that the Iranian-backed group “does not deserve a place” and must be fully disarmed.

“Iran will not be allowed to dictate the future of Lebanon any more. These talks are part of that effort,” the official said.

Following the meeting, Israel’s ambassador said Lebanon had indicated it “will no longer be occupied by Hezbollah,” though that claim has not been confirmed by Lebanese officials. He added that discussions are ongoing regarding both security and civilian matters.

Hezbollah, which opposes the talks and was not represented, reportedly intensified attacks on northern Israel as the meeting took place.

Separately, the United States announced $58.8 million in new humanitarian aid to assist more than one million Lebanese civilians displaced during the recent fighting.

The talks come after over a month of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and while no agreements were reached, officials described the meeting as an important first step in what could become a longer diplomatic process.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)