Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam defended the talks with Israel that were held at the Pentagon on May 29, 2026.
Speaking on May 30, 2026, Salam said: “Is the success of the negotiations guaranteed? Certainly not. But today, this is the least costly path for our country and our people compared to the other available options.”
On Friday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had praised Lebanese President Joseph Aoun for his courage and vision in pursuing direct negotiations with Israel. Pigott added that this was taking place even as “Hezbollah continues to try to undermine these negotiations to the detriment of the Lebanese people.”
Addressing criticism of Lebanon’s decision to engage in direct talks, Salam said: “This path is neither easy nor short, but it becomes shorter when all efforts are united under the authority of the Lebanese state, and we become stronger in pursuing it.” He added that achieving this outcome “requires abandoning monopolistic attitudes and putting an end to stubbornness.”
Earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby hosted Israeli and Lebanese military delegations at the Pentagon on May 29, 2026.
According to the Pentagon, the meeting was held in support of ongoing diplomatic negotiations between the two neighboring countries. The Department of Defense described the discussions between the military delegations as “constructive.”
