But such an approach requires, at the very least, full explanations in private and careful language in public.
While the vice president was in Switzerland discussing Lebanon with Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan, Israeli and Lebanese diplomats were meeting in Washington under U.S. auspices, ostensibly to solve their bilateral problems and work toward restraining Hezbollah.
Its ambassador in Washington said that he needed “clarity” about U.S. policy and the new deconfliction mechanism.
“The basic premise [of the talks in Washington] was that Iran was not involved, and the main discussion is about Lebanon and Hezbollah—not about the extent to which Iran can restrain Hezbollah,” he said.
Its role is to get out of Lebanon.”
But such an approach requires, at the very least, full explanations in private and careful language in public. This does not seem to be happening. While the vice president was in Switzerland discussing Lebanon with Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan, Israeli and Lebanese diplomats were meeting in Washington under U.S. auspices, ostensibly to solve their bilateral problems and work toward restraining Hezbollah. How do these two tracks affect each other? Israel doesn’t seem to know. Its ambassador in Washington said that he needed “clarity” about U.S. policy and the new deconfliction mechanism. “The basic premise [of the talks in Washington] was that Iran was not involved, and the main discussion is about Lebanon and Hezbollah—not about the extent to which Iran can restrain Hezbollah,” he said. “That is not Iran’s role. Its role is to get out of Lebanon.”
