Israel is aiming to establish full diplomatic relations with Lebanon in talks that could open as early as next month, an Israeli official said on Wednesday.
President Joseph Aoun © Mena Today
Israel is seeking to establish full diplomatic relations with Lebanon, with official talks expected to begin as early as next month, an Israeli official announced on Wednesday.
"The goal is to reach normalization," said the official, just a day after representatives from Israel, Lebanon, France, and the United States met in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, at the United Nations peacekeeping headquarters.
Following this military-to-military meeting, Israel and Lebanon agreed to open political negotiations to delineate their land border, a critical issue that has remained unresolved for decades.
Although Israel and Lebanon do not currently recognize each other, they did sign a short-lived peace agreement in 1983, and Israel previously maintained military and economic ties with Lebanese Christian factions.
Israel has been steadily working toward regional diplomatic normalization in recent years. In 2020, it signed the Abraham Accords, establishing official relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Israel has also maintained long-standing peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan.
Tuesday’s meeting led to the formation of working groups involving Israel, Lebanon, the U.S., and France to discuss:
According to the Israeli official, the next meeting will be between the political leadership of both countries, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations.
"This means official Israeli diplomacy within Lebanon," the official stated.
As part of the process, Israel confirmed the release of five Lebanese detainees on Tuesday. This move is seen as a goodwill gesture aimed at allowing Lebanon’s newly elected President, Joseph Aoun, to demonstrate his ability to achieve results through diplomacy rather than military conflict.
According to the Israeli official, Israel hopes Aoun will use this opportunity to signal to the Lebanese public that peace efforts can succeed without war.
A Shift in Lebanese Leadership and Its Implications
President Joseph Aoun, elected in January 2025 after a prolonged two-year leadership vacuum, has indicated his intention to improve Lebanon’s relations with Arab nations and pursue economic and political reforms.
Alongside Aoun, Nawaf Salam, a former diplomat and head of the International Criminal Court, was appointed Prime Minister. Their leadership marks a significant shift in Lebanon’s political landscape, weakening the influence of Hezbollah, a longtime adversary of Israel.
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, challenges remain. Axios, citing two U.S. officials, reported that one of the Lebanese detainees released by Israel is a Hezbollah member. Lebanon claims 11 Lebanese nationals are still detained by Israel.
Meanwhile, Jerusalem and Beirut have yet to finalize an official land border, despite negotiating a maritime boundary in 2022—an agreement brokered by the United States.
The November 27, 2024, ceasefire in Lebanon largely ended over a year of border hostilities initiated by Hezbollah, including two months of intense warfare in which Israel deployed ground forces in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israel, beginning on October 8, 2023, in support of Hamas’s invasion of Israel from Gaza, led to massive displacements, with 60,000 Israeli civilians forced to evacuate.
U.S. Deputy Presidential Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus stated that all parties remain committed to maintaining the ceasefire and advancing diplomatic resolutions.
The United States, France, and other international actors are playing a key role in facilitating discussions. The working groups could meet as early as next month, aiming to resolve outstanding issues between Israel and Lebanon.
Trump’s Arab and Middle East affairs adviser, Massad Boulos, also voiced optimism, stating, “We are looking forward to peace, and we are aiming for peace… By the grace of God, this will be achieved hopefully soon.”
The potential normalization of ties between Israel and Lebanon represents a major diplomatic breakthrough in a historically tense and conflict-ridden relationship. If successful, these talks could reshape regional alliances, weaken Hezbollah’s influence, and pave the way for greater economic and security cooperation between the two nations.
However, given Lebanon’s internal political divisions, Hezbollah’s presence, and broader regional tensions, the road to lasting peace remains complex and uncertain.
By Bruno Finel
Israel said on Tuesday it had agreed to hold talks to demarcate its border with Lebanon, adding it would release five Lebanese detainees held by the Israeli military in what it called a "gesture to the Lebanese president".
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