Israeli PM’s office said talks are an initial bid ‘to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation’.
Israel and Lebanon are set to conduct their first direct diplomatic talks in decades as they dispatched civilian envoys to a body that monitors their rocky 2024 truce.
Lebanon, which does not recognise Israel, announced on Wednesday that its delegation for the talks will for the first time be led by a civilian. Israel also said it is sending a diplomat as part of a delegation.
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No further details regarding the place and time of the meeting of a military committee that monitors the 2024 truce between the countries have been given. However, it is hoped that the move signals an expansion of the scope of talks between the longtime foes.
The Lebanese decision was a response to a longstanding United States request and came after Lebanon was “informed that Israel agreed to include a non-military member in its delegation,” President Joseph Aoun’s office said in a statement.
Simon Karam, former ambassador to the US, will be dispatched by Lebanon to the talks.
Israel, for its part, has tasked acting director of the National Security Council Gil Reich to appoint a representative for the meeting, set near the United Nations-demarcated Blue Line that marks the two states’ unofficial border.
Israel’s Arutz Sheva media named the Israeli representative as Uri Resnick of the National Security Council.
“This is an initial attempt to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
‘Very divisive’
The meeting is a “significant” step for Lebanon, which has faced US pressure to “engage in direct talks with Israel”, reported media’s Zeina Khodr from Beirut.
“This is a very divisive and sensitive issue in Lebanon, where many people see Israel as the enemy,” she said. “Sending a civilian to the meeting is seen as a concession from the Lebanese government.”
Aoun has said in recent months that he is open to negotiations to pursue a more robust truce than the one brokered in November 2024.
Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the truce, killing more than 300 people, including at least 127 civilians, according to the UN.
Israel claims it is targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from rebuilding its military capabilities.
Israel’s strikes come as Washington pushes Lebanon’s government to follow through on its commitment to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected calls for disarmament, saying Lebanon’s sovereignty could only be achieved by ending Israeli “aggression”.
