Washington: A new round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks has commenced here after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had secured commitments from Israel and Hezbollah aimed at easing regional tensions.
Lebanese authorities have confirmed that Hezbollah has agreed to a U.S. proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks” with Israel, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency on Monday, citing the Lebanese embassy in Washington, Xinhua news agency reported.
Lebanese authorities have confirmed that Hezbollah has agreed to a US proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks” with Israel, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, citing the Lebanese embassy in Washington.
The statement, released on Monday (local time), said that the confirmation followed a phone call between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the situation in Lebanon and efforts to de-escalate tensions were discussed.
According to the embassy, the US proposal calls for a reciprocal halt to attacks by both sides.
Under the proposed arrangement, Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs would cease in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from its attacks against Israel. The ceasefire framework would later be expanded to cover all of Lebanese territory.
The embassy said that US President Donald Trump later informed Lebanon’s ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, that he had secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval of the proposal.
Mouawad relayed the outcome to Aoun, who in turn informed Hezbollah of the development, the statement said.
Negotiation meetings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to continue building on the progress achieved, the embassy added.
Earlier, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that he has told the Trump administration that Hezbollah is prepared for a full and immediate ceasefire with Israel, and that he would guarantee its implementation, US media outlet Axios reported Monday, citing Berri’s top advisor, Ali Hamdan.
(IANS)
