The Israeli-Lebanese negotiations that were launched on 14 April in Washington, DC, were the first of their kind in many years. They took place under the shadow of significant gaps and low expectations, as well as ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. For its part, Israel has effectively been drawn into the negotiations under American pressure, even though separating the Lebanese arena from the conflict with Iran and the ceasefire is in Israel’s interest. Whether this can actually be achieved is a different matter altogether.
