By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: Lebanon and Israel have extended their ceasefire for three weeks following a high-level meeting at the White House, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
Trump hosted Israel’s ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the US Nada Moawad in the Oval Office for a second round of US-facilitated talks, a day after Israeli strikes killed at least five people, including a journalist.
“The meeting went very well. The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned armed group fighting Israel, was not present at the talks. It says it has “the right to resist” occupying forces.
Trump added that he looked forward to hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the near future. He also told reporters he hoped the leaders would meet during the three-week ceasefire period, saying there was “a great chance” the two countries could reach a peace agreement this year.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa also attended the meeting. The ceasefire, initially agreed after talks between the two countries’ ambassadors to Washington last week, had been due to expire on Sunday.
Ambassador Moawad, who entered the talks seeking an extension of the ceasefire, thanked Trump for hosting the discussions. “I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again,” she said.
