WASHINGTON (NPTV/US Dept. of State): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has mediated (though at Ambassadors level) direct peace talks (first since 1993) between Israel and Lebanon here on Tuesday (14th April, 2026).
Commenting on the rendezvous (meant to figure out ways to end the Israel and (Iran backed) Hezbollah fighting, Marco Rubio termed it a historic opportunity to contain the influence of the paramilitary wing of Lebanese Shia Islamist political party.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Before Working-Level Peace Talks with Israeli Envoy to the US Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Envoy to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad at the Department of State: “We’re very honored to be joined by two countries that the United States wants to have strong – have strong relations with, and we’re obviously very happy to serve in this facilitating role.
“This is a historic opportunity. We understand we’re working against decades of history and complexities that have led us to this unique moment. And the opportunity here – I know some of you were shouting questions about a ceasefire. This is a lot more than just about that.
“This is about bringing a permanent end to 20 or 30 years of Hizballah’s influence in this part of the world and the – not just the damage that it’s inflicted on Israel, the damage that it’s inflicted on the Lebanese people.
“We have to remember the Lebanese people are victims of Hizballah. The Lebanese people are victims of Iranian aggression. And this needs to stop. And so our hope here – and I know this will be a process, okay? This – all of the complexities of this matter are not going to be resolved in the next six hours.
“But we can begin to move forward to create the framework where something can happen – something very positive, something very permanent – so that the people of Lebanon can have the kind of future they deserve, and so that the people of Israel can live without fear of being struck by rocket attacks from a terrorist proxy of Iran.
“So that is the hope here today. That is what we are beginning to work. We are joined by excellent people who will be in a position to obviously take this back to their respective capitals. This is a process, not an event. This is more than just one day. This will take time.
“But we believe it’s worth this endeavor, and it’s a historic gathering that we hope to build on, and the hope today is that we can outline the framework upon which a permanent and lasting peace can be developed so that, as I said, the people of Israel can live in peace, and the people of Lebanon can live not just in peace but the prosperity and security that they deserve.”
The Lebanese government had called for negotiations with Israel despite objections fromHezbollah. Talking to journalists in Jerusalem, before the meeting, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar pointed out that the negotiations would focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah, that was a problem for the security of Israel and the sovereignty of Lebanon: “… this…needs to be addressed in order to move to a different phase…We want to reach peace and normalization with the state of Lebanon.”
A US State Department official said that Israel was at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon, and so there was no reason they should not talk, describing the talks as direct, high-level and the first of their kind since 1993. It is pertinent to mention here that ahead of parleys in Washington, seventeen countries’ foreign minister asked Tel Aviv to grasp at the occasion. Posting a joint statement the British ministry of foreign affairs maintained that direct talks could pave the way to bring lasting security for the region. While US proclaimed 15-day truce, Israel opted to launch 100 missiles in ten minutes killing 303 people in Lebanon. UN Secretary General condemned this attack.
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