Direct Israel-Lebanon Talks Begin Under U.S. Pressure, Expert Says

Israel and Lebanon have started their first direct negotiations in decades. A regional expert calls the meetings "quite symbolic" but cautions against viewing them as a major diplomatic breakthrough. Dr. H. A. Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute in London says the talks primarily reflect strong American pressure. They also occur alongside ongoing Israeli military operations inside Lebanon. According to Hellyer, regional relations are defined by deep mistrust. This stems from repeatedly broken ceasefires, a lack of trusted international guarantors, and unresolved historical disputes over territory and politics.