Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives held their first direct talks in decades on Wednesday, as part of a ceasefire monitoring mechanism established during last year's truce between Israel and Hezbollah, a source close to the negotiations told AFP.
The meeting took place at the UN peacekeeping force's headquarters in Naqoura, near the Israeli border, under a mechanism created to oversee the November 2024 cessation of hostilities.
The talks coincided with parallel announcements from both governments signalling an unprecedented shift toward including civilian officials in the process.
Israel's Prime Minister's Office said Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the acting National Security Council chief to send a civilian representative to meet Lebanese government and economic officials, describing it as "an initial attempt to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon."
Lebanon, for its part, announced Wednesday that former ambassador and lawyer Simon Karam would lead its delegation to the sessions of the "Lebanon Military Technical Committee," the body created under the 2024 declaration.
Presidential spokesperson Najat Sharafeddine said the decision followed US notification that Israel had agreed to include a non-military member in its delegation, and after consultations with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Karam was scheduled to participate in Tuesday's session in Naqoura, and the relevant authorities were officially informed.
The development comes on the heels of Pope Leo XVI concluding his visit to Lebanon amid pressure from Washington to move both parties toward direct civilian engagement. US and Israeli officials have been warning for weeks that Israel could launch new military operations against Lebanon if Beirut did not fully disarm Hezbollah and engage in political negotiations with Israel.
The United States has been pushing for intensified diplomacy aimed at stabilising the ceasefire and accelerating Hezbollah's disarmament, which it argues is essential to reducing regional tensions and curbing Iranian influence.
Lebanon recently declared itself ready for negotiations with its southern neighbour. At the same time, Netanyahu has repeatedly urged Beirut to join the Abraham Accords, which normalised ties between Israel and several Arab states, but Lebanese officials have ruled out normalisation and instead proposed returning to the 1949 armistice agreement with Israel.
Morgan Ortagus, the US special envoy for Lebanon, attended Wednesday's Naqoura meeting. Her participation came after a visit to Jerusalem a day earlier, during which she met Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and, according to Israeli media, Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Sa'ar said on X after his meeting with Ortagus that they "had a good discussion on the situation in Lebanon," adding: "The one violating Lebanese sovereignty is Hezbollah. Hezbollah's disarmament is crucial for Lebanon's future and Israel's security."
During her visit, Israel presented Ortagus with what it asserted were proofs of Hezbollah's continued entrenchment and expansion in Lebanon, warning that such activity would lead to "responses" by the Israeli military, even though Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire over the past year.
Israel's public broadcaster reported that the security establishment is preparing for a possible major escalation with Hezbollah, while US assessments warn that continued Israeli strikes could push the region into a wider, uncontained conflict.
Israeli officials handed Ortagus a complete file containing what they called "evidence," asserting that the Lebanese army is unwilling and unable to prevent Hezbollah's "violations." Sa'ar also told her that Hezbollah "is arming itself at a pace far faster than it is disarming," placing responsibility on the Lebanese government and alleging that Iranian funds reach Hezbollah through Turkey.
Israel has ramped up strikes in recent weeks, judging Lebanese efforts insufficient despite a government-approved plan requiring the Lebanese army to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure south of the river before expanding to the rest of the country.
Israel claims it has conducted roughly 1,200 "targeted activities" during the ceasefire, eliminating more than 370 Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Palestinian group members, without providing any evidence.
On Tuesday evening, the Hebrew news site ynet quoted an Israeli official saying: "We do not see Hezbollah giving up its weapons under the agreement, and therefore there is no point in continuing with this agreement. We are heading toward escalation, and we will decide the timing according to our interests."