U.S.-brokered direct Israel–Lebanon meeting held in Naqoura amid cease-fire talks
U.S. diplomats brokered the first direct, public Israel–Lebanon engagement since 1993 in Naqoura on the sidelines of a U.S.-led monthly cease-fire monitoring mechanism, where civilian envoys Simon Karam and Uri Resnick joined talks focused on economic projects to stabilize southern Lebanon after negotiators Morgan Ortagus and Ambassador Michel Issa pressed both sides to participate. Lebanon’s prime minister Nawaf Salam said normalization remains “far from” reality and reaffirmed the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative while outlining a phased disarmament plan aiming for an army monopoly on arms south of the Litani by year-end, even as Beirut demanded Israel withdraw from five outposts and Israel accused Lebanon of not doing enough to disarm Hezbollah amid recent strikes and the assassination of Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai.
📌 Key Facts
- Under U.S. auspices, Israel and Lebanon held their first direct, public engagement since 1993 on Wednesday in Naqoura as part of a monthly cease-fire monitoring mechanism led by the U.S. military.
- The talks were held on the sidelines of the monitoring mechanism and focused on economic projects intended to stabilize southern Lebanon.
- Lebanon appointed a civilian representative to the cease-fire committee at the request of the U.S. and Israel; civilian envoys who joined the meeting were Simon Karam (Lebanon) and Uri Resnick (Israel).
- U.S. diplomats Morgan Ortagus and Ambassador Michel Issa secured participation from both sides; Ortagus personally pressed Prime Minister Netanyahu to send a diplomat.
- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon is “far from” any diplomatic normalization or economic relations with Israel and reaffirmed adherence to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions normalization on a Palestinian state.
- Salam outlined a phased disarmament plan aiming for the Lebanese army to have a monopoly on arms south of the Litani River by year-end, with exceptions at several border points still occupied by Israeli forces; later phases have no set timeline.
- Lebanon demanded Israel withdraw from five outposts inside Lebanese territory, while Israel has accused Beirut of not doing enough to disarm Hezbollah.
- Context: Israel recently assassinated Hezbollah’s top military commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in Beirut and has stepped up strikes citing Hezbollah rearmament; a U.S. official assessed the assassination gave Israel more political space and reduced the likelihood of a major Israeli operation in the coming weeks.
📰 Sources (3)
U.S. brokers first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades
New information:
- Israel and Lebanon held their first direct, public engagement since 1993 on Wednesday in Naqoura under U.S. auspices.
- Talks occurred on the sidelines of a monthly ceasefire monitoring mechanism led by the U.S. military and focused on economic projects to stabilize southern Lebanon.
- U.S. diplomats Morgan Ortagus and Ambassador Michel Issa secured participation from both sides; Ortagus pressed PM Netanyahu on Tuesday to send a diplomat.
- Context: Israel recently assassinated Hezbollah’s top military commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in Beirut; Israel has stepped up strikes citing Hezbollah rearmament.
- Lebanon demanded Israel withdraw from five outposts inside Lebanese territory; Israel says Beirut isn’t doing enough to disarm Hezbollah.
- A U.S. official assessed the assassination gave Israel more political space and reduced the likelihood of a major Israeli operation in the coming weeks.
Lebanon ‘far from’ diplomatic normalization with Israel, prime minister says
New information:
- Lebanese PM Nawaf Salam said Lebanon is 'far from' any diplomatic normalization or economic relations with Israel, contradicting Netanyahu's framing.
- Salam reaffirmed Lebanon’s adherence to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative conditioning normalization on a Palestinian state.
- Lebanon appointed a civilian representative to the cease-fire committee at the request of the U.S. and Israel; Beirut is 'ready to negotiate with civilian participation.'
- Named the civilian envoys who joined the committee meeting: Simon Karam (Lebanon) and Uri Resnick (Israel).
- Salam outlined a disarmament plan phase: by year-end, the Lebanese army aims to have a monopoly on arms south of the Litani River, except at several border points still occupied by Israeli forces; later phases have no set timeline.