Israel-Lebanon Hold First Direct Talks in Decades, Rubio Urges Seizing Historic Opportunity
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades in Washington, urging both sides to seize this "historic opportunity" for peace. He stated the meeting aims to overcome historical complexities and build a framework for lasting peace. However, Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group, criticized the talks as "futile" and called for their cancellation. The Israeli military warned of increased Hezbollah attacks during the negotiations. Israeli PM Netanyahu seeks disarmament of Hezbollah and true peace, while Lebanese President Aoun hopes for a ceasefire agreement and direct negotiations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 02:46
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 03:01 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 17:48 (14h 46m after Collected)
WASHINGTON (CNA) – Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks in decades in Washington, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio today called on both sides to seize a "historic opportunity" to achieve peace.
Agence France-Presse reported that Rubio, while welcoming the ambassadors of the two countries at the State Department, said: "This is a historic opportunity. We understand that we are facing decades of historical entanglement and various complexities, and it is these factors that have brought us to this special moment, and also to the current opportunity."
He added: "Our expectation today is to outline a framework upon which a current and lasting peace can be developed."
However, the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, which is fighting the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, called for the cancellation of the talks even before they began, calling them "futile."
The Israeli military warned today that Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel are expected to increase during the talks.
On March 2, Hezbollah attacked Israel, dragging Lebanon into the regional Iran war. Since then, despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has launched multiple airstrikes, including a fierce attack on Beirut on April 8, which has so far killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than 1 million.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 11: "We hope Hezbollah will disarm, and we want to reach a peace agreement that can last for generations."
On the Lebanese side, President Joseph Aoun said yesterday that he hoped the Washington talks would lead to "an agreement on a ceasefire in Lebanon, with the aim of initiating direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel."
The U.S. President Trump administration insists that Hezbollah must be disarmed, while respecting Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and safeguarding Israel's rights, but these positions are clearly difficult to reconcile.
A former Israeli defense official, who declined to be named, told the media yesterday that it would require "a lot of imagination and optimism" to believe that the issues between Israel and Lebanon could be resolved in Washington on April 14, adding that "expectations are not high" for this. (Compiled by: Chang Hsiao-wen) 1150415
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Agence France-Presse reported that Rubio, while welcoming the ambassadors of the two countries at the State Department, said: "This is a historic opportunity. We understand that we are facing decades of historical entanglement and various complexities, and it is these factors that have brought us to this special moment, and also to the current opportunity."
He added: "Our expectation today is to outline a framework upon which a current and lasting peace can be developed."
However, the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, which is fighting the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, called for the cancellation of the talks even before they began, calling them "futile."
The Israeli military warned today that Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel are expected to increase during the talks.
On March 2, Hezbollah attacked Israel, dragging Lebanon into the regional Iran war. Since then, despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has launched multiple airstrikes, including a fierce attack on Beirut on April 8, which has so far killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than 1 million.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 11: "We hope Hezbollah will disarm, and we want to reach a peace agreement that can last for generations."
On the Lebanese side, President Joseph Aoun said yesterday that he hoped the Washington talks would lead to "an agreement on a ceasefire in Lebanon, with the aim of initiating direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel."
The U.S. President Trump administration insists that Hezbollah must be disarmed, while respecting Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and safeguarding Israel's rights, but these positions are clearly difficult to reconcile.
A former Israeli defense official, who declined to be named, told the media yesterday that it would require "a lot of imagination and optimism" to believe that the issues between Israel and Lebanon could be resolved in Washington on April 14, adding that "expectations are not high" for this. (Compiled by: Chang Hsiao-wen) 1150415
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.