The meeting at the US State Department premises on Tuesday was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The event was unusual, as representatives of Israel and Lebanon have rarely met together. At the negotiating table sat Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, with Lebanon's ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad on the opposite side.
But the real opponent, Iran-backed Hezbollah, both boycotted and rejected the meeting as “meaningless.”
Hezbollah also fired mortar rounds at 13 cities in northern Israel as the talks began.
“Lebanon must be liberated”
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said after the meeting that those at the table "discovered that we are on the same side of this equation, and that is the most positive outcome we could have expected."
He showed a clear break from the war's opponent, Hezbollah, when he stated that the participants agreed that "Lebanon must be liberated from the occupying power dominated by Iran and known as Hezbollah."
Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad said in a statement afterward that she “called for a ceasefire” and that “the preparatory meeting was constructive.”
According to US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to hold "direct negotiations at a mutually agreed upon time and place."
Common message
17 European countries, including Sweden, sent a joint message through their foreign ministers urging the parties to "work together to reach a lasting political solution."
Ahead of the negotiations, the goal of a lasting peace settlement between the countries was stated, after which Lebanon wants to see an immediate ceasefire. The disarmament of the Shia group Hezbollah is a second goal of the negotiations.
Another concern for the success of the talks is Israel's continued military attacks on Lebanon.
