Nada Maawad, the Lebanese ambassador, and Yahyael Leiter, the Israeli ambassador, met on Tuesday evening at the U.S. State Department in Washington to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the process of implementing the "framework agreement." This meeting occurred as a new round of negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli regime, which was supposed to take place this week in Rome, has been postponed to October.
Review of Developments in Lebanon and Implementation of Agreements
An official Lebanese source had previously announced that in this meeting, the developments in Lebanon and the mechanism for implementing the "framework agreement" would be reviewed; an agreement that was reached last June with U.S. mediation between Beirut and Tel Aviv. Joseph Aoun, the President of Lebanon, explicitly stated last Saturday that under the current circumstances, "no new negotiations with Israel" will take place and emphasized the necessity of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, the return of prisoners and refugees, and the reconstruction of affected areas.
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Position of the Lebanese Government and Ongoing Challenges
Najib Mikati, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, has also emphasized that the authority to negotiate on behalf of Lebanon is solely in the hands of the government of this country and that direct negotiations with Israel are "not easy." Beirut and Tel Aviv signed the "framework agreement" on June 26 in Washington with U.S. mediation. According to this framework, Israeli forces are to gradually withdraw from Lebanese territory, and the Lebanese army is to be deployed in the evacuated areas. However, Israel continues its attacks on southern Lebanon and maintains control over parts of this region.
Simultaneously with the meeting of the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in Washington, Michelle Issa, the U.S. ambassador in Beirut, also traveled to southern Lebanon on Tuesday to closely examine the situation in the areas known as "experimental zones," the progress made, and the existing challenges there. The U.S. Embassy in Beirut announced that Washington is committed to supporting the Lebanese government and army to strengthen state sovereignty, protect civilians, provide services, and create the necessary conditions for achieving lasting peace and stability.
Issa stated during this trip that being in southern Lebanon was an opportunity to directly observe the challenges faced by local communities. He emphasized the residents' desire to return to their homes and rebuild their lives in safety and dignity. The official Lebanese news agency also reported that the U.S. ambassador visited the town of "Zoutr al-Gharbiya" and the newly constructed crossing in the town of "Qaqaiyat al-Jisr." This trip was conducted under strict security measures and is considered the first visit by a U.S. ambassador to this region since the Lebanon War in 2006.
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