Rubio to host meeting between Israeli, Lebanese ambassadors in Washington

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host a meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors in Washington on Tuesday, U.S. online media outlet Axios reported.



The meeting, which will be the highest-level direct engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993, is expected to focus on the possibility of a ceasefire, the longer-term disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah, and prospects for a peace deal between the two countries, the report said.



"Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon, so there is no reason the two neighbors should not be talking," a State Department official was quoted as saying.



U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, U.S. State Department Counselor Michael Needham, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad will attend the meeting, the report said.



Israel and Lebanon laid out different expectations on Monday ahead of their upcoming talks in Washington, with Israel insisting on Hezbollah's disarmament and a peace agreement, and Lebanon voicing hope for direct negotiations and a ceasefire, according to reports.