Lebanon-Israel talks set for May 14-15 under US mediation: State Department

The United States announced it will facilitate two days of intensive talks between Israel and Lebanon on May 14 and 15, aimed at advancing efforts toward a broader peace and security agreement between the two countries.

According to a U.S. State Department statement, the discussions will build on the April 23 round of negotiations, which it said was “led personally by President Trump.”

Washington said both delegations will engage in detailed talks intended to advance “a comprehensive peace and security agreement that substantively addresses the core concerns of both countries.”

The statement added that the negotiations aim to move away from “the failed approach of the past two decades,” which it said enabled “terrorist groups to entrench and enrich themselves, undermine the authority of the Lebanese state, and endanger Israel’s northern border.”

The talks are expected to focus on frameworks for “lasting peace and security arrangements,” the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty across its territory, border delineation, and mechanisms for humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Lebanon.

The United States said both sides had committed to approaching the negotiations with their national interests in mind, adding that Washington would work to reconcile those interests “in a manner that delivers lasting security for Israel, and sovereignty and reconstruction for Lebanon.”

Washington also welcomed the participation of both governments in the process, while stressing that “comprehensive peace is contingent on the full restoration of Lebanese state authority and the complete disarmament of Hezbollah.”

The statement described the talks as “another important step toward ending decades of conflict and establishing a lasting peace between the two countries,” adding that the United States would continue supporting both sides in efforts to achieve a breakthrough.