Minister Rubio (third from left) and other participants in the Israel-Lebanon negotiations [AFP Yonhap News]

Israel and Lebanon, which have been in a de facto state of war since Israel's founding, agreed on the 14th (local time) to hold direct negotiations in talks mediated by the United States.

Iran claims that Lebanon is also included in the ceasefire negotiations with the United States, but no agreement was reached regarding a Lebanese ceasefire in these talks.

Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Mowad and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yekiel Reiter met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others at the State Department building in Washington D.C. on this day.

This is the first high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel, which do not have diplomatic relations, since 1993.

Following approximately two hours of talks, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying, "All parties have agreed to commence direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and place."

The U.S. State Department emphasized its hope for a comprehensive peace agreement, stating, "The United States celebrates this historic milestone for both countries and supports future discussions."

It added, "Any agreement on a cessation of hostilities must be reached between the governments of both countries through U.S. mediation and should not be pursued through separate channels."

The New York Times (NYT) interpreted this as a message to Iran that a Lebanese ceasefire is not a subject of discussion between the United States and Iran.

Ambassador Reiter, speaking to reporters after the meeting, positively assessed the talks, saying, "Today, we learned that we are on the same side."

Ambassador Mowad also stated that the discussions were constructive and that she urged a ceasefire during the meeting.

Prior to the talks, Minister Rubio described it as a "historic opportunity" and said, "This is about permanently ending Hezbollah's influence, which has persisted for 20 to 30 years, and we expect progress."

It is known that the talks primarily focused on a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, the long-term disarmament of the pro-Iranian armed group Hezbollah within Lebanon, and the signing of a peace treaty between the two countries.

However, given that the hostilities in Lebanon are between Israel and Hezbollah, not between Israel and the Lebanese regular army, there are also questions about the effectiveness of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.

Hezbollah has opposed all talks between Israel and the Lebanese government, so even if an agreement is reached between Israel and Lebanon, its implementation is another matter.

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has been in a state of continuous conflict with Lebanon, which saw a large influx of Palestinian refugees. Hezbollah is not merely an armed organization but also a political faction holding a significant number of seats in the Lebanese parliament.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is also linked to negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Israel has continued its attacks, stating that Lebanon was not included in the two-week ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran on the 7th, while Iran is pressuring the United States to accept a ceasefire in Lebanon.

The United States and Iran met in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the 11th for negotiations but failed to narrow their differences on issues such as Iran's nuclear disarmament and control of the Strait of Hormuz. With the two-week ceasefire ending on the 21st, there is speculation that the two sides may resume negotiations as early as the 16th.