Israel and Lebanon on Wednesday held direct civilian talks at a meeting of the US-run ceasefire monitoring body that the Lebanese Prime Minister said was agreed to in the hope of “defusing tension”.
Nawaf Salam told The National that Lebanon's civilian envoy was appointed to the monitoring mechanism in the hopes of calming a tense situation marked by near-daily Israeli bombings and threats of a broader military operation in Lebanon. He invited US and French inspectors to verify whether Hezbollah is rearming in the south of Lebanon, as Israel claims. Israel has also appointed a civilian to lead its delegation.
The officials appointed by Lebanon and Israel were “sitting at the same table” for talks at the UN peacekeeping headquarters, sources from both countries told The National. Morgan Ortagus, US special representative for Lebanon, was also present.
Military officers have previously represented the two countries at meetings on operational matters. But the civilian meeting hints at the possibility of wider talks on calming the tension behind last year's destructive war in Lebanon, with the US playing peacemaker in the region.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken this move,” Mr Salam said. “Our objective and goal was that that this could help defuse the situation.”
Mr Salam said he was open to US and French inspections to assess whether Hezbollah is rebuilding its military strength. Israel says its regular air strikes are to prevent Hezbollah's re-entrenchment, but Mr Salam called the claims “hearsay”.
He said the plan to disarm Hezbollah and deploy the army in the south could not make proper progress until Israel withdraws from five occupied points in Lebanese territory. He also played down the prospect of establishing full relations with Israel, saying such relations remain “far off” and contingent on Israel accepting a two-state peace settlement in Palestine.
Wednesday's meeting was held shortly after Lebanon and Israel announced the appointment of civilian representatives to lead their delegations after reports of US pressure on both sides. The meeting intended to “implement a cessation of hostilities” between the neighbouring countries, a Lebanese political source said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described the appointments as “an initial attempt to create a basis for a relationship and economic co-operation between Israel and Lebanon”.
A spokeswoman for Mr Netanyahu called the direct meeting a “historic development” with “unique opportunities to create peace” between the neighbours. “This is the first step to paving a path with Lebanon and it's clear the Lebanese recognised the economic challenges they are facing,” she said.
But Mr Salam played down the suggestion of economic ties. “Economic relations are part of normalisation, which have to follow peace,” he said. “Normalisation will follow peace. It cannot precede it.”
A Lebanese political source with knowledge of the talks said it was “the first time we hear any mention of economic co-operation from their end. That is not what the Lebanese are heading towards.” He added that the talks would focus on the framework to “reach a cessation of hostilities. It is not a pathway to normalisation.”
The appointment of civilian representatives comes after Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun indicated an openness to direct negotiations with Israel after facing US pressure to engage in direct talks.
Civilian meeting
It is the first time during the US peace push that civilians have been charged with negotiating the ceasefire's implementation, potentially paving the way for further diplomatic discourse between the two countries.
Lebanese and Israeli military officers had previously been assigned to lead the truce-monitoring mechanism. Their discussions focused on military and technical matters such as briefings on Lebanese army operations.
The US embassy in Lebanon said the presence of civilian delegates reflected a desire for “political and military discussions with the aim of achieving security, stability and a durable peace for all communities affected by the conflict”.
“All parties welcomed the additional participation as an important step toward ensuring that the work of the [group] is anchored in lasting civilian, as well as military, dialogue,” it said.
Lebanon and Israel, technically at war since 1948, have no official diplomatic relations. Lebanese military representatives had so far avoided direct contact with the Israeli delegation and relied instead on communicating through UN intermediaries.
Lawyer and former ambassador to the US, Simon Karam, was appointed by Mr Aoun to lead the Lebanese delegation at the committee's meetings. He was chosen “for his experience, and because there is a need for a diplomat with political and sovereign expertise”, a source close to the President told The National.
A Lebanese parliamentary source told The National the purpose of the appointment is to “show Lebanon’s commitment to the negotiation track and to reduce the risk of war”.
The US revealed that Israel's representative is Uri Resnick, a director of foreign policy on the country's National Security Council.
Wednesday’s ceasefire mechanism meeting comes as Israel is insisting Hezbollah fully disarms.
The Israeli military has intensified daily strikes on Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure, despite a November 2024 ceasefire stipulating an end to hostilities and Israel’s full withdrawal from the south of the country.
The attacks have hindered reconstruction efforts as well as the return of many Lebanese residents to the southernmost towns near the border. Israeli troops continue to occupy five points of Lebanese territory.
Israeli officials have increasingly warned of a major operation in Lebanon if the government in Beirut does not make progress on disarming Hezbollah. Ministers approved a plan to do so in August but the US has expressed frustration at the pace of Lebanon's efforts.
