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Israel-Lebanon Leaders' Meeting Set for Thursday, Says Trump
(MENAFN) President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday that the heads of state of Israel and Lebanon are set to hold direct talks Thursday — their first exchange in approximately three decades.
"Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The landmark development comes on the heels of a high-level Tuesday gathering at the State Department, where Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter met under the auspices of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined by US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, State Department Counsellor Michael Needham, and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. Hezbollah was absent from the proceedings.
The diplomatic push follows Trump's disclosure last week that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back military operations in Lebanon, with Netanyahu reportedly confirming Israel would be "scaling back" its campaign.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, Israel has pressed ahead with strikes across southern Lebanon in the wake of a cross-border Hezbollah attack on March 2. The toll has been devastating — Lebanese health officials report more than 2,000 fatalities and upwards of one million people forced from their homes since fighting intensified in March.
"Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The landmark development comes on the heels of a high-level Tuesday gathering at the State Department, where Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter met under the auspices of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined by US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, State Department Counsellor Michael Needham, and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. Hezbollah was absent from the proceedings.
The diplomatic push follows Trump's disclosure last week that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back military operations in Lebanon, with Netanyahu reportedly confirming Israel would be "scaling back" its campaign.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, Israel has pressed ahead with strikes across southern Lebanon in the wake of a cross-border Hezbollah attack on March 2. The toll has been devastating — Lebanese health officials report more than 2,000 fatalities and upwards of one million people forced from their homes since fighting intensified in March.
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