Shafaqna Pakistan: Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire and continue negotiations on a political settlement, according to an announcement made by the United States.
Despite the agreement, Israel continued carrying out strikes it says fall outside the scope of the truce, amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group operating in southern Lebanon.
According to US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, envoys from Israel and the Lebanese government met in Washington, D.C. over two days and agreed to extend the ceasefire.
He said the cessation of hostilities would be extended by 45 days to allow further progress in negotiations aimed at a broader political settlement.
He said that the State Department would hold negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent political agreement on Jun 2 and 3 and that the Pentagon would bring together delegations from the countries’ militaries on May 29.
The United States steadfastly backs Israel, with which it attacked Iran on Feb 28, but has also gently voiced unease about Israeli troops’ control of southern Lebanon.
“We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border,” Pigott said.
Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, who led his country’s delegation, said after the talks that it would be critical to ensure Israel’s security.
“There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great,” Leiter wrote on X.
Iran’s clerical state, Hezbollah’s patron, has demanded a lasting ceasefire in Lebanon before any peace agreement with US President Donald Trump, who has been frustrated by Tehran’s refusal to an accord on his terms.
Source: Dunya News
