Lebanon and Israel have held the first diplomatic talks in more than 30 years following more than a month of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who mediated the talks in Washington DC, called the meeting “a historic opportunity” but said an agreement was not immediately expected, adding: “This is a process, not an event.”
The Israeli and Lebanese governments were meeting to discuss ways to ensure long-term security on Israel’s northern border and support for Lebanon to take control of its territory and political future from Hezbollah, a US state department official said.
Iranian-aligned militant group Hezbollah had opposed the meeting and was not represented, with Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem calling the negotiation effort “pointless” in a televised speech. The group appeared to step up its fire on northern Israel as the discussions began.
More than 2,100 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since February, according to the country’s health ministry. A dozen Israeli soldiers and two civilians were killed in the same period, according to Israeli officials.
More than a million Lebanese have been displaced.
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