Lebanon and Israel are holding first direct talks in decades.Israel agreed to the 10-day pause in attacks against Lebanon but has refused to withdraw its troops from the south.The ceasefire was announced after officials met in person in Washington, DC – the first direct talks since 1993.Now, there is hope for an agreement to end Israel’s invasion and air strikes.The Iran-aligned armed group Hezbollah remains the main stumbling block.Israel says any deal must include the dismantling of the group, while Hezbollah says it will not lay down its weapons.So, is a lasting peace agreement possible?And how much influence does Iran have in Lebanon?Presenter: James BaysGuests:Joe Macaron – Middle East geopolitical analystYossi Mekelberg – Senior consulting fellow at the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham HouseRami Khouri – Distinguished fellow at the American University of BeirutPublished On 17 Apr 202617 Apr 2026Click here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharegoogleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo
