Israeli Ambassador Leitner warns Lebanon talks in danger of derailment
Leitner warned that Israel's negotiations with Lebanon were in danger if both sides did not remain focused on their shared goals: the removal of Iranian influence and Hezbollah's disarmament
Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, warned that negotiations involving Israel, Lebanon, and the United States are in danger of going off track, arguing that dismantling Hezbollah must remain the central objective of the talks.
Speaking at the opening of the fifth round of negotiations on Tuesday, Leiter said the parties had initially shared a common vision of achieving full peace between Israel and Lebanon through the removal of Iranian influence and Hezbollah's disarmament.
"Four rounds ago, we all got on the same train," Leiter said. "Today, this train is in danger of derailing. I hope we can get it back on track."
Leiter argued that Iran should play no role in Lebanon's future, saying Lebanese sovereignty requires an end to Tehran's involvement in the country.
He also criticized what he described as a shift toward "deconfliction" rather than addressing Hezbollah directly.
"Israel is not in conflict with Lebanon. Therefore, deconfliction is not the issue," he said. "The only issue is Hezbollah. Hezbollah must be defeated and removed from the equation."
Leiter questioned whether previous understandings, including Hezbollah's withdrawal from southern Lebanon under the ceasefire arrangement, remain in force and raised concerns that any future financial flows to Iran could ultimately benefit Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun convened senior military officials and advisers following the latest round of Lebanese-American-Israeli talks, describing negotiations as the only path to restoring Lebanon's rights and sovereignty.
Aoun said he hopes the current round will prove "decisive" in achieving Lebanon's objectives.
"We will accept nothing less than the end of the Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon and the collapse of foreign mandates together," Aoun said, adding that only the Lebanese state should exercise authority across the country's territory.
Separately, Lebanon's presidency said Aoun spoke by phone with US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to the Lebanese readout, the US officials reaffirmed support for extending the Lebanese state's authority throughout the country and discussed implementing understandings reached during meetings in Switzerland, including the proposed establishment of a coordination mechanism involving the United States, Lebanon and Iran to reinforce the ceasefire.