Talks aimed at resolving the conflict between Israel and Lebanon have begun at the US Department of State.
The Israeli and Lebanese delegations are headed by ambassadors Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh Moawad, according to Israeli media.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter was seen alongside his Lebanese counterpart Nada Hamadeh Moawad at the start of their meeting in Washington, marking the highest-level in-person contact ever recorded between the two countries.
Although a US official had previously indicated to The Times of Israel that a handshake was expected, the two ambassadors did not shake hands before entering a closed-door session at the State Department together with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, State Department Counsellor Mike Needham, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. US officials are acting as mediators in the discussions.
The six officials declined to take questions from reporters before proceeding into the meeting room.
Israel is expected to focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the prospect of a future peace agreement with Lebanon, while Beirut’s priority remains securing a ceasefire in Lebanon, a position Israel has rejected, prompting officials involved in the planning to lower expectations for any immediate breakthrough.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
