US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is asked during a press conference whether Washington expects the latest round of direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese authorities to lead to an agreement or another round of conflict.
“We are hopeful that the talks between Lebanese authorities and the Israelis will create outlines and a way forward that prevents further conflict,” Rubio says.
He acknowledges that Israel has pledged to continue taking military action against Hezbollah if it feels threatened.
“We all would hope that we could avoid that… The best way to avoid it is to have a strong Lebanese government that can actually control the country, and [ensure] that Hezbollah is no longer an armed threat to Israel or to the Lebanese state,” Rubio says.
“That’s what we’re committed to… achieve. I can’t speculate on what the talks will lead to, but we’ll do everything we can to make them productive,” he adds.
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