The U.S. Department of State announced on Friday that it will facilitate two days of intensive talks between Lebanon and Israel on May 14 and 15, as Washington seeks to advance negotiations toward what it described as a broader peace and security framework between the two countries.
In a statement issued on May 8, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the discussions would build on a previous round of negotiations held on April 23 and personally led by President Donald Trump.
According to the statement, the talks will focus on developing “a comprehensive peace and security agreement” addressing the concerns of both sides, while moving away from what Washington described as the “failed approach” of the past two decades that allowed armed groups to strengthen their position in Lebanon and threaten Israel’s northern border.
The United States said discussions would include issues related to border delineation, long-term security arrangements, humanitarian relief, reconstruction efforts in Lebanon, and the restoration of Lebanese state authority across the country.
Washington also reiterated its position that lasting peace depends on the “complete disarmament” of Hezbollah, which the United States designates as a foreign terrorist organization.
“The United States welcomes the commitment of both governments to this process,” the statement said, adding that Washington would continue working to reconcile Lebanese and Israeli interests in a way that ensures “lasting security for Israel and sovereignty and reconstruction for Lebanon.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing regional tensions and continued cross-border instability along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier.
On the same day as the U.S. announcement, Ambassador Simon Karam, who heads the Lebanese negotiating team, held meetings in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ahead of the upcoming talks.
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