US Hosts Lebanon, Israel Envoys to Revive Stalled Border Talks

The ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel met in Washington D.C. on Tuesday evening for a two-hour session aimed at advancing stalled negotiations between the two countries. The meeting occurred as a new round of talks, originally scheduled for Rome, was postponed until October.

A Lebanese official confirmed that Lebanese Ambassador to Washington, Randa Naffa, and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter met at the U.S. State Department. The meeting concluded around 9 PM UTC, with no details released regarding the discussions or outcomes. The official stated the meeting addressed "developments in Lebanon and the mechanism for implementing the framework formula" agreed upon by both sides in June under U.S. auspices.

The meeting comes amid a deadlock in the negotiation process between Beirut and Tel Aviv. The postponement of the Rome talks, initially set for this week, to October was reported by multiple sources. Israeli Channel 12 had previously cited a senior, unnamed U.S. official stating the two ambassadors would convene to discuss recent developments and continue implementing the "framework agreement."

In a related development, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated on Saturday that "there are no new negotiations with Israel at the present time," emphasizing Beirut's commitment to "national constants," including Israeli withdrawal, the return of prisoners and displaced persons, and reconstruction.

Direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began on April 14, 2026, in Washington under U.S. sponsorship, focusing on ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, borders, prisoners, and missing persons. On June 26, both sides signed a U.S.-brokered "framework formula" in Washington outlining a mechanism for gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army in vacated areas. The seventh round of negotiations, held in Rome from August 4-6, covered military, political, legal, and border issues, as well as prisoners and missing persons.

Despite the "framework formula," Israeli attacks continue in southern Lebanon, and Israel maintains forces in areas of the south, some under Israeli control for decades and others occupied during subsequent wars and military operations.