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Alsharq Tribune- World
Lebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks after a high-level meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
Trump hosted Israel's ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the US Nada Moawad in the Oval Office for a second round of US-facilitated talks.
"The Meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump added that he looked forward to hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the near future.
Trump also spoke to reporters in the Oval Office alongside the participants in the meeting, saying he hoped the leaders would meet during the three-week cessation of hostilities.
He said there was "a great chance" the two countries would reach a peace agreement this year. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa also attended the meeting.
The ceasefire, reached after talks between the two nations' ambassadors to Washington last week, was set to expire on Sunday. It has yielded a significant reduction in violence, but attacks have continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have seized a self-declared buffer zone.
The Lebanese president said a day earlier that during the talks Moawad would ask for an end to Israeli home demolitions in villages and towns occupied by Israel after the latest war broke out on March 2. Moawad thanked Trump for hosting the talks.
"I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again," she said. Asked how the US would help Lebanon to fight Hezbollah, Trump did not provide details but said Washington had "a great relationship with Lebanon."
Trump said Israel had to be able to defend itself against attacks from Hezbollah. He also called for Lebanon to abolish laws against engagement with Israel. "Well, I'm pretty sure that that will be ended very quickly. I'll make sure of that," Trump said.
