‘Unsynchronized Diplomatic Process’: Former Obama Official Questions Why Lebanon and Israel Aren’t At Peace Talks

Joel Rubin, who served as deputy assistant secretary of state under former President Barack Obama, questioned Saturday why Israel and Lebanon aren’t at the peace talks in Switzerland, along with the U.S. and Iran.

Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed earlier Saturday, after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire, reportedly killing 16 in Lebanon. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Tim Hawkins defiantly told reporters, “Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic continues to flow, and U.S. forces are monitoring the situation to ensure this remains the case.”

Vice President JD Vance was expected to head to Switzerland, where Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff are preparing for peace talks with Iran on Sunday.

CNN’s Danny Freeman, in for Fredericka Whitfield, asked Rubin if he thought the talks would be “meaningful” and productive.

“I think talks will begin, but meaningful is a whole other order of magnitude, because, quite frankly, the hot issues that you just described a moment ago — like the fighting inside of Lebanon — that needs to be top of mind,” Rubin answered, continuing:

Yet, the Lebanese and the Israeli government officials to deal with it are not going to be there. They’re going to be here in Washington. And this symbolizes the whole disconnect that we have right now in this diplomacy, which is that it seems like there’s multiple parts that aren’t connecting to each other. And therefore, we’re seeing spoiler opportunities, like Hezbollah attacking Israeli troops and Israel responding. The Strait of Hormuz will be open or closed, it’s up to the Iranians on a daily basis. It’s a really unsynchronized diplomatic process right now.

President Donald Trump’s 14-point memorandum of understanding with Iran calls for an immediate end to military operations in Lebanon — a ceasefire that both the Israelis and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters have defied. Iran blames the U.S. for failing to keep Israel in check.

Hezbollah controls southern Lebanon, where the majority of the fighting with Israel has taken place. Hezbollah’s leaders have refused to negotiate with Israel, and the Lebanese government has failed to control Hezbollah, both of which have made any peace deal difficult to enforce.

Watch above via CNN.

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