Israeli and Lebanese civilian diplomats to attend ceasefire body meeting for the first time

In an unprecedented development, Israel and Lebanon will be represented by civilian diplomats at the Naqoura ceasefire meeting, signaling potential progress in long-stalled discussions. Both delegations will include non-military figures for the first time on Wednesday in Naqoura, Lebanon.

Heading the Israeli team will be Uri Resnick from the National Security Council (NSC), while Lebanon will be represented by former US ambassador and attorney Simon Karam.

The inclusion of civilian diplomats follows pressure from the US, with special envoy for Lebanon Morgan Ortagus and US Ambassador in Beirut Michel Issa urging both countries to expand their delegations beyond military personnel. "It's in your strategic interest," they advised the governments of Israel and Lebanon.

The objective is to advance the negotiations meaningfully and create a tangible sense of progress toward normalization. Israel's Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the deputy head of the NSC to send a civilian representative to the Naqoura talks.

"This is a first attempt to establish a foundation for economic ties and cooperation between Israel and Lebanon," the office stated.

Author: Jackson Miller