Israel and Lebanon to have direct talks amid regional conflict

Israel and Lebanon are expected to engage in their first direct diplomatic negotiations in decades, as they send civilian envoys to a body that monitors their fragile 2024 ceasefire, Al Jazeera plus agencies reported on December 3rd. 

This comes amidst rising tensions between the two nations, as Israel continues to strike southern Lebanon under the pretext of targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Lebanon has been open to talks and made the decision to send a civilian delegation after learning that “Israel agreed to include a non-military member in its delegation,” President Joseph Aoun’s office said.

 Lebanon plans to send Simon Karam, the ex-ambassador to the US, to the talks whilst Israeli media has announced that Uri Resnick of the National Security Council is the Israeli representative. The meeting is expected to go ahead near the UN-demarcated Blue Line that marks the two states’ unofficial border.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described the meeting as “an initial attempt to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon.”

The meeting has been labelled as a “significant” step for Lebanon, after facing US pressure to “engage in direct talks with Israel”, according to Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr. However, Israel’s status as the “enemy” in Lebanon has made the issue a “divisive” and “sensitive” one, said Khodr. She added, sending a civilian to the talks is seen by some as a “concession from the Lebanese government”.

Aoun has continued to remain open to negotiations despite continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon and threats of increased military operations. 

Despite the truce, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed over 300 people, including at least 127 civilians, as reported by the UN. This has been done under the justification of targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from restoring its military strength.

Hezbollah has pledged to uphold its commitment to the ceasefire, even after the demise of the group’s senior commander as a result of an Israeli strike. 

Al Jazeera plus agencies, Maghrebi.org