The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, expressed marked optimism this Thursday about the possibility of achieving lasting peace between Israel and Lebanon, stating that in the coming weeks, we will be closer to the type of lasting peace that the people of Israel and Lebanon deserve.
The statements were made during the second round of direct talks between both countries held in Washington, the first since 1993, as part of negotiations to extend the ceasefire that was set to expire this Sunday, April 26. This ten-day ceasefire had been announced by President Donald Trump weeks earlier.
The first round of negotiations already represented a historic milestone, as it marked the first meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in over four decades. The process was driven by a team appointed by Trump along with Vice President JD Vance and General Dan Caine.
Rubio emphasized that both Israel and Lebanon are victims of the same terrorist organization, referring to Hezbollah, and that the extension of the ceasefire "gives everyone time to continue working towards a permanent peace between two countries that want to be at peace." In this regard, he highlighted that only the Lebanese state negotiates on behalf of the country, not the militia.
In parallel, Trump prohibited Israeli attacks on Lebanon with a strong message that reinforced Washington's commitment to the peace process. "The Lebanese people deserve to live in a peaceful and prosperous country. They have the opportunity to achieve it. They have a history of doing so. And what stands in the way is a terrorist organization operating within their national territory, and that threat must be eliminated," concluded Rubio.
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