Ambassador Yehiel Leiter, speaking at the opening of the fifth round of U.S.-mediated talks in Washington, said the process risks derailing as Hezbollah feels emboldened and Iran's involvement grows. He recalled the talks began four rounds ago with clear goals of full peace, Hezbollah's disarmament and Iran's removal from Lebanon.
Ambassador Yehiel Leiter delivered an unusually blunt assessment at the opening of the fifth round of U.S.-mediated Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington Tuesday evening. In remarks reported by N12's diplomatic correspondent Yaron Avraham, Leiter said the process was 'in danger of derailing,' warning that Hezbollah has received 'a shot in the arm' and feels emboldened and bolder as Iranian involvement in Lebanon deepens.
Leiter recalled that four rounds ago, 'we all got on the same train heading in a clear direction' — full peace between the two countries, removing Iran from Lebanon, disarming Hezbollah, and bringing peace and security to Lebanon. 'Today, that train is in danger of derailing,' he said.
As The Zioneer reported earlier today, the fifth round opened in Washington with both diplomatic and military tracks on the agenda, including the IDF withdrawal timeline and Hezbollah disarmament. Leiter's direct critique of Iran's influence and Hezbollah's posture marks a notable public departure from the previous rounds' more measured diplomatic language. What remains unclear is whether the warning reflects a genuine assessment of stalled progress or a tactical position ahead of negotiations.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake