Washington to Host Direct Negotiations Between Lebanon and Israel Next Week

Sources in the US State Department revealed arrangements to host a high-level meeting in Washington next week, aimed at launching formal ceasefire negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation state. This step comes amid increasing international pressure to end the military operations that have ravaged the region in recent weeks.

Diplomatic sources stated that the anticipated negotiations will be led by Israel's ambassador to Washington, Yehiel Leiter, and Lebanese ambassador Nada Moawad, marking a shift towards direct diplomatic channels. This development follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of clear instructions to open a direct negotiation path with the Lebanese side.

For his part, Lebanese President Michel Aoun announced that the proposal for direct negotiations has begun to receive widespread positive international engagement, indicating that Lebanon seeks to establish its rights and sovereignty. Aoun presented a comprehensive initiative consisting of four basic points aimed at ending the bloody conflict and providing sustainable security guarantees.

The Lebanese initiative includes establishing a comprehensive truce under which all Israeli ground, air, and sea aggressions on Lebanese territory would immediately cease. The initiative also stipulates providing urgent logistical support to the Lebanese armed forces to enable them to carry out their duties in maintaining security and extending sovereignty over all national territory.

The plan dictates that Lebanese security forces will immediately take control of all recent areas of tension, and work to confiscate illegal weapons and dismantle their caches. This step aims to end armed manifestations and confine weapons to the state, which observers considered a fundamental point in the current negotiation process.

According to the Lebanese vision, direct negotiations must begin under international patronage simultaneously with the implementation of security provisions, to ensure a final and comprehensive agreement. Through this path, Lebanon seeks to ensure the withdrawal of occupation forces from all points they infiltrated during the recent aggression.

In a related context, media sources reported that US President Donald Trump pressured Netanyahu to reduce the intensity of air strikes on Lebanon. This American desire aims to create an atmosphere conducive to the success of parallel negotiation tracks, especially those related to the Iranian nuclear file and the existing truce with Tehran.

Despite the diplomatic activity, Israeli officials confirmed that there is no official ceasefire yet, and that military operations may continue until talks begin. This stance indicates the occupation's desire to improve its negotiating terms through continuous field pressure on Lebanese villages and towns.

In contrast, Hezbollah announced its categorical rejection of any direct negotiations with Israel, considering it a concession of Lebanese national constants. In an official statement, the party stressed the necessity of adhering to the cessation of aggression and the withdrawal of occupation forces as a fundamental and non-negotiable condition before any political discussion.

Party representatives in the Lebanese parliament called on the government not to be drawn behind international promises before achieving a real and comprehensive ceasefire on the ground. They affirmed that the priority should be the return of displaced persons to their villages and reconstruction, away from the conditions that Washington and Tel Aviv are trying to impose.

On the ground, occupation aircraft continued to launch violent raids, resulting in hundreds of martyrs and wounded in the past twenty-four hours, raising the total number of casualties. Lebanese civil defense teams are working with extreme difficulty to retrieve the missing from under the rubble of destroyed civilian buildings in various governorates.

These developments coincide with a fragile truce between Washington and Tehran, mediated by Pakistan, which began last Wednesday morning and included understandings regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the Iranian side hinted at suspending these understandings if Israeli aggression against Lebanon continues, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the paths between the two fronts.

Reports indicate that navigation in the Strait of Hormuz has seen a sharp decline, with the number of crossing vessels significantly decreasing due to security and political tensions. This decline reflects the extent of international concern about a wider escalation of the situation if the anticipated Washington negotiations fail to achieve a real breakthrough.

Anticipation remains the master of the situation, awaiting the outcome of next week's meetings, amid a wide gap between Lebanese demands and American-backed Israeli conditions. Observers fear that these negotiations may be merely a cover for the continuation of military operations and the encroachment on more Lebanese territory in the south.

Instructions were issued to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible, and I appreciate the Lebanese President's call for disarmament.