Lebanon and Israel opened the fifth round of direct negotiations in Washington on Tuesday, with Beirut seeking an Israeli withdrawal timetable, the return of displaced persons, and prisoner releases. The three-day talks are overshadowed by a new US-Iran diplomatic channel, according to Middle East Eye.
The fifth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel opened Tuesday in Washington, with Beirut pressing for an Israeli withdrawal timetable, the return of displaced persons, and prisoner releases, according to a Middle East Eye report. The three-day talks, which began as Israel stressed military operations continue alongside diplomacy (Mon 20:28 Jerusalem), are the latest in a sequence that has included dual political and military tracks (i24NEWS, Mon 20:28 Jerusalem) and official State Department facilitation (Israeli Embassy, Mon 20:28 Jerusalem).
As The Zioneer reported throughout Monday evening, the round's progression was tracked in rapid succession: a Lebanese delegation arrived (20:28 Jerusalem), the fifth round was confirmed by the Israeli Embassy (20:28 Jerusalem), and talks opened on simultaneous tracks (20:28 Jerusalem). By the end of that day, a photo was released and reports surfaced that Hezbollah and Iran are furious over the negotiations (20:28 Jerusalem). On Tuesday, a US State Department official cited progress — a characterization echoed in a prior day's assessment (Wed 17:54 Jerusalem).
The report notes that a new US-Iran diplomatic channel threatens to overshadow the Lebanon-Israel track. As The Zioneer reported earlier (Sat Jun 13, 23:22 Jerusalem), US-Iran ceasefire talks center on an Iranian demand for full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon — which Israel rejects. That dynamic now casts a shadow over this round, according to Middle East Eye.
What remains unverified: whether the talks resumed at the same level as previous rounds, and whether Hezbollah or Iran have formally responded to the claim that they are furious over the negotiations. The State Department has not commented on this round's status.
13 developments
- DevelopingReport: Fifth round of Lebanon-Israel border talks to open in Washington on June 22
- DevelopingDay 2 of Israel-Lebanon talks opens in Washington; US State Department cites progress
- StrongLebanese sources: fifth round of Israel-Lebanon talks set for June 23, focus on permanent ceasefire
- DevelopingIsrael-Lebanon withdrawal talks underway at the Pentagon
Source and signal
- Internal intake