- Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold their first direct diplomatic talks in decades this Tuesday in Washington, following over a month of intense conflict.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will participate alongside Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s Ambassador to the US, Nada Hamadeh Moawad.
- A U.S. State Department official said the meeting aimed to discuss ways to ensure long-term security on Israel’s northern border and support for Lebanon seeking to take control of its territory and political future from Iran-backed Hezbollah.
- The conflict has resulted in 2,089 fatalities and over one million displaced people in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, while Hezbollah continues daily attacks on northern Israel.
- Lebanon hopes these negotiations will lead to an end to hostilities and insists on representing itself, despite Hezbollah and critics expressing scepticism about its leverage.
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