jordan pulse -

Lebanon and Israel are holding "peace talks" at the ambassadorial level at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Tuesday. These will be the first talks at this level in decades, although the prospects for reaching an agreement appear slim.
Participating in the talks are U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yehiel Leiter, starting at 11:00 AM Washington, D.C. time.
The agreement followed a telephone call between Ambassador Leiter and his counterpart Moawad, with the participation of the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa, aimed at launching a negotiating track and reaching a ceasefire, according to the Lebanese Presidency.
Israel confirmed its approval to start "official peace negotiations" with the Lebanese government, but emphasized that it will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah during these talks, considering it the "main obstacle" to peace.
Even before the meeting, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called on Monday for the cancellation of the negotiations, describing them as "futile."
Axios quoted a U.S. State Department official saying that Israel is "at war with Hezbollah and not with the Lebanese state," noting that there is no obstacle to direct dialogue between the two sides.