Lebanon Becomes a Hot-Button Issue as Eyes Turn to Washington Talks [Second Cease-fire Negotiations Imminent]

The issue of Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian armed faction in Lebanon, has emerged as a major sticking point in cease-fire negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran is said to be insisting behind the scenes that Hezbollah be addressed as a key precondition for ending the war, raising concerns that this could become a major obstacle going forward.
For now, the United States has summoned senior diplomatic officials from Israel and Lebanon to Washington, D.C., for talks on the 14th (local time).
Israel, Lebanon, and Hezbollah are locked in a tense standoff. A further complication is that the Government of Lebanon does not fully control Hezbollah. Since the outbreak of the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, Israel has been attacking areas in Southern Lebanon along the border and steadily expanding the territory it occupies and controls.
Shoshi Bedrosian, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office of Israel, said on the 13th, "The Government of Lebanon must move to disarm Hezbollah, confiscate all of its weapons, and demilitarize southern Lebanon. Only then will it be possible to reach a peace agreement between our two governments." She added at the press briefing, "Israel will not negotiate a cease-fire with Hezbollah. They continue to carry out indiscriminate attacks against Israel."
President of Lebanon Joseph Khalil Aoun, meeting in Beirut with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani, stated, "I hope these talks will lead from direct discussions between Lebanon and Israel to a cease-fire agreement." According to the National News Agency (NNA), Aoun stressed that direct negotiations with Israel are Lebanon's sole national responsibility and the only opportunity for a sustainable solution. He also urged Israel to immediately halt attacks on Lebanese territory and to respond by taking part in the negotiations.
The ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to begin direct negotiations in Washington, D.C., on the 14th, with U.S. officials participating. Italy has also announced that it is prepared to help mediate the direct talks between the two countries.
However, Secretary-General of Hezbollah Naim Qassem has been pressuring the Government of Lebanon to cancel any peace talks with Israel. In a televised address the same day, Qassem declared, "We reject negotiations with the usurper Israel," and vowed, "We will continue to confront Israel's attacks on Lebanon." He went on to call on the Government of Lebanon to "make a historic and heroic decision by canceling these negotiations." His remarks came just ahead of the first official face-to-face talks planned in Washington, D.C., between the Lebanese and Israeli governments.
Meanwhile, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued unabated. The Ministry of Defense of Israel announced on the 13th that it had bombed 150 Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon over the previous 24 hours and intercepted and shot down more than 10 drones launched by Hezbollah. Hezbollah, for its part, said the same day that it had opened a new round of attacks on Israeli forces using multiple missiles.
jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-joon Reporter