Rubio hosts talks between Israel & Lebanon

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday hosted the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon for talks in Washington, DC, aimed at securing a ceasefire in Lebanon.

"The hope today is that we can outline the framework upon which a permanent, lasting peace can be developed so that the people of Israel can live in peace and the people of Lebanon can live, not just in peace, but in the prosperity and security that they deserve," he said at the start of the talks held at the State Department.

Secretary Rubio said the meeting would focus on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed political and paramilitary group in Lebanon that has been the target of Israeli attacks.

"I know some of you are shouting questions about ceasefires. This is a lot more than just about that," he told reporters. "This is about bringing a permanent end to 20 or 30 years of Hezbollah's influence in this part of the world — not just the damage that it's inflicted on Israel, but the damage that it has inflicted on the Lebanese people."

The secretary cautioned that "all of the complexities" of the issue would not be resolved in the meeting, but said it was a step in the right direction toward "something very positive, something very permanent."

"This is a process, not an event," he said. "This is more than just one day. This will take time. But we believe it is worth this endeavor, and it's a historic gathering that we hope to build on."

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