Israel–Lebanon Washington Talks (2026)

Direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, held in Washington, took place on 14 April 2026 in the capital of the United States, Washington D.C., under the hosting of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The talks were conducted with the participation of the ambassadors of both countries to Washington and have been recorded as the highest-level direct contact between Israel and Lebanon since 1993.

Parties attending the Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington, 14 April 2026 - (Anadolu Agency)

Background

November 2024 Ceasefire and Violations

A ceasefire agreement was implemented between Israel and Hezbollah on November 2024. Under this agreement, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah was to end its military presence in the region.

However, following the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel continued its attacks against Lebanon, regularly carrying out aerial strikes especially in southern areas. Despite the ceasefire terms, Israel’s military did not fully withdraw from the border line and continued its military activities on the ground.

March 2026 Attacks

On 28 February 2026, a regional war process began with aerial attacks launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel, U.S. bases and regional allies.

On 2 March 2026, Hezbollah carried out a retaliatory attack against Israel in response to the attacks initiated by the United States and Israel on 28 February 2026, which it claimed resulted in the killing of Iran’s Supreme Religious Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Following this attack, the Israeli military launched a comprehensive military assault on Lebanon . Israeli officials cited the detection of rocket launches directed at the country’s north as justification for the operation. During the operation, Israel conducted intense aerial and naval strikes, targeted the capital Beirut, and decided to expand its ground occupation into southern regions.

On 8 April 2026, a two-week temporary ceasefire was declared between the United States and Iran under the mediation of Pakistan. The ceasefire was regarded as a temporary measure aimed at halting the ongoing war, with the expectation that negotiations for a lasting agreement would begin between the parties.

Disagreements emerged over the scope of the ceasefire. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the ceasefire covered all conflict zones in the region, including Lebanon. In contrast, the U.S. and Israeli administrations asserted that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon were not included in the ceasefire and maintained that the Lebanese front would be treated as a separate process.

Iran emphasized that the continuation of the ceasefire depended on Israel halting its attacks on Lebanon. In this context, the fighting in Lebanon became directly linked to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire process, and the Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington were clearly shaped within this broader regional diplomatic framework.

Humanitarian Dimension

According to data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health dated 14 April 2026, the number of people killed in Israeli attacks since 2 March has reached 2,124, while the number of injured has reached 6,921. It was reported that 168 of the deceased were children and 254 were women. The health sector also suffered heavy losses during the same period. 88 healthcare workers were killed, 206 were injured, six hospitals were rendered inoperable, and 102 ambulances became unusable. According to official Lebanese government figures, the number of displaced persons in the country has exceeded 1,162,000.

Talk Process

Preparation and Announcement

The U.S. Department of State announced the upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon on Monday evening, 13 April 2026, stating that the meeting would take place on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, at the Department’s headquarters.

Prior to the talks, Israeli media reported that Israel would not accept a ceasefire and that its Ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, would attend the meeting under instructions not to endorse any ceasefire.

Meanwhile, prior to the talks, hundreds of people in Beirut staged protests accusing Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of betraying the public by sitting at the negotiation table while Israel continued its bombing campaign.

Hezbollah General Secretary Naim Qassem, in a statement on 13 April 2026, urged the Lebanese government not to participate in the talks and described this stance as “a historic and heroic position”.

Participants

Senior diplomatic representatives from the United States, Israel and Lebanon attended the talks in Washington.

Representing the United States were U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mike Waltz, State Department Advisor Michael Needham and U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa.

Israel was represented by Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, while Lebanon was represented by Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh-Moawad.

Opening of the Talks

At the start of the meeting held at the State Department building, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a brief statement, emphasizing that the issues between the two countries could not be resolved immediately: “This is a historic opportunity. We have decades of historical lessons that brought us to this point and to this opportunity. I know you are asking about the ceasefire. The destruction caused by this situation that has persisted in this region for 20 to 30 years.”

Rubio described the talks as a process and said, “This is not just about one day. This process will take time, but we believe it is worth the effort.”

Positions and Demands of the Parties

Lebanon’s Position

The Lebanese delegation viewed the talks in Washington as a preparatory step toward re-establishing the ceasefire. After the meeting, Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh-Moawad stated that the talks had been “productive” and reiterated the need for “the immediate full implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024.”

Hamadeh-Moawad also noted that during the meeting Lebanon emphasized the importance of its territorial integrity and state sovereignty, and called for “practical steps” to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon caused by ongoing hostilities. Lebanese Minister of Culture Ghassan Salame stressed that from Lebanon’s perspective, the talks were merely a “preparatory meeting” aimed at halting military activities.

Before the talks, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated, “I hope that tonight’s meeting in Washington marks the beginning of the end of the suffering endured by the Lebanese people, especially in the south.” Aoun also emphasized that stability in the region could not be achieved as long as Israel maintained its military presence in southern Lebanon.

Israel’s Position

According to reports from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu viewed the initiation of the talks as “a tactic to gain time without ending the war and to demonstrate goodwill to the Americans and U.S. President Donald Trump”. The same reports suggested that Ambassador Leiter had attended the meeting under instructions not to endorse any ceasefire.

The U.S. Department of State’s post-meeting statement summarized Israel’s position as follows: “The State of Israel expressed its support for the disarmament of all non-state terrorist groups in Lebanon and the dismantling of all terrorist infrastructure, and affirmed its determination to cooperate with the Lebanese government to ensure the security of both peoples.”

According to Al Jazeera, Israel also proposed a controversial plan to divide southern Lebanon into three security zones. Under this plan, “a sustained and prolonged Israeli military presence would continue in the zone from the border to 0–8 km until Hezbollah is fully dismantled; in the second zone, extending to the Litani River, Israeli forces would continue operations while gradually transferring control to the Lebanese Armed Forces; in the third zone north of the Litani River, only the Lebanese Armed Forces would be responsible for Hezbollah’s disarmament.”

U.S. Role and Expectations

The United States assumed a mediating role in the talks. The State Department statement noted that “the U.S. hopes the talks can go beyond the scope of the 2024 agreement and lead to a comprehensive peace accord. The U.S. also reaffirmed its support for Israel’s right to self-defense against Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks.” The statement further emphasized that future talks should also be conducted under U.S. mediation and that issues related to potential assistance for Lebanon’s reconstruction would be addressed.

Outcomes of the Talks

Following the talks in Washington, the U.S. Department of State announced that the parties had agreed to begin direct negotiations at a mutually determined time and place.

The State Department described the meeting as “highly productive”, congratulated both sides, and claimed that the talks had established a strong foundation for future negotiations. Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh-Moawad stated that the date and location of the next meeting would be announced later. However, the talks ended without any concrete decision regarding the re-establishment of a ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s Rejection of the Talks

Hezbollah announced that it rejected the process of the talks held in Washington. Hezbollah General Secretary Naim Qassem described the negotiations as a “free concession” made to Israel and the United States.

Qassem stated that Israel’s primary objective in the negotiations was the disarmament of Hezbollah, adding, “Israel clearly reveals that its goal in these talks is to disarm Hezbollah; Netanyahu has repeatedly stated this. How can one enter negotiations with a predetermined objective?” He also declared in his speech, “We will not rest, we will not stop, and we will not surrender. Instead, we will speak through the battlefield.”

Continuation of Israeli Attacks During the Talks

While the talks in Washington were ongoing, the Israeli military continued its attacks on southern Lebanon without interruption. According to information reported by the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), on the evening of Tuesday, 14 April 2026, Israeli warplanes bombed the towns of Beraşit, Ayn Bial, Tayr Diba, Kasimiyye, Sadikayn, Deyr Kifa, Western Sir, Abbasiye, Adlun, Kana and Zibkin. Israeli artillery units also targeted the area around Kefr Rumman during the same hours.

Historical and Diplomatic Context

Discontinuation of Direct Contact Since 1993

The last direct and high-level diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon took place in 1993. The two countries have no diplomatic relations. Therefore, the talks held in Washington on 14 April 2026 were recorded as the first direct and high-level contact after more than thirty years of absence.

UNIFIL and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701

Following the outbreak of civil war in Lebanon, Israel launched a military intervention in 1978 and occupied southern Lebanon. In the same year, the United Nations Security Council called on Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon.

On 19 March 1978, at Lebanon’s request, the United Nations Security Council established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted unanimously on 11 August 2006, called for Israeli forces to withdraw behind the Blue Line and for the area between the Blue Line and the Litani River to be demilitarized.