Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who have been involved in the direct Israel-Lebanon talks mediated by Washington, the Israeli PM’s Office said.
National Security Advisor Shmuel Ben Ezra is also seen in the meeting, though the PMO provides no details on what was discussed.
The sit-down takes place ahead of an expected eighth round of talks early this month in Rome. Last month’s round of talks in Rome saw setbacks amid an escalation in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.
In June, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a framework deal that involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon’s south and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces to the region, starting in test areas known as “pilot zones,” though its implementation has faced ongoing difficulties.
