Amid the Stalled Peace Process.. What Did America Say About Rubio's Meeting with the Prime Minister of Lebanon?

- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday, at a time when progress on the US-sponsored agreement has largely stalled, and Israeli military operations continue in southern Lebanon. According to a statement from the US State Department, "Rubio reaffirmed the strong commitment of the United States to support Lebanon in implementing the trilateral framework, which represents the only way to achieve lasting peace between Lebanon and Israel."

The statement from the meeting held in the capital, Washington, noted that "Rubio praised the efforts of Prime Minister Salam's government to assert state authority, and reiterated the United States' support for a sovereign Lebanon free from the harmful influence of Hezbollah and Iran." Israel and Lebanon signed the US-sponsored framework in June, which calls for a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon, asserting that they target "Hezbollah." For his part, Salam stated that he discussed with Rubio "developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as the path towards restoring Lebanon's full sovereignty."

He added that he emphasized the need for "mutual progress on the trilateral framework according to a clear timeline," noting that this framework "is not limited to security arrangements but also includes support for recovery and reconstruction." The ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States met at the State Department in mid-September to discuss efforts to implement the US-sponsored framework, which aims to pave the way for a broader peace agreement.

A round of official talks was scheduled to take place but was postponed to October, according to a US State Department official.