Israel and Lebanon resume direct dialogue

Israel said Wednesday that its first direct discussions with Lebanon in more than four decades were held in a “positive atmosphere,” raising cautious hopes for progress between the two countries, which remain technically at war.

According to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the meeting “was conducted in a positive atmosphere, and it was agreed to develop ideas to promote potential economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon.”

The statement also reiterated that the disarmament of Hezbollah remains “essential” from Israel’s perspective.

The talks took place during a meeting of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in southern Lebanon, bringing together civilian officials from both sides. It marked the first direct encounter between Lebanese and Israeli representatives in over 40 years.

While no concrete agreements were announced, the fact that both countries described the meeting as constructive was widely noted as a rare diplomatic opening in a context long dominated by tension, conflict, and proxy confrontations.