All you need to know about Lebanon-Israel Naqoura talks

Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives met for the first time in decades on Wednesday under the auspices of a year-old ceasefire monitoring mechanism.

The two sides met at the U.N. peacekeeping force's headquarters in Lebanon's Naqoura near the border with Israel, where the guarantors of the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah regularly convene.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the atmosphere at the talks was "positive", and that there had been agreement "to develop ideas to promote potential economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon". Israel also said it was "essential" that Hezbollah disarm regardless of any progress in economic cooperation.

However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon was "far from" diplomatic normalization or "economic relations" with Israel and

Berri's visitors quoted Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri as saying that Karam's mission is "technical" and that the talks are not economic and only revolve around the halt of Israeli attacks and occupation, and the liberation of Lebanese prisoners from Israeli jails.

President Joseph Aoun had appointed former Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. Simon Karam to lead the delegation to the Naqoura meeting. His office said the choice was taken after consultations with Salam and Berri.

Berri's visitors told pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper that Berri is not against including experts in the Lebanese delegation when there is need for them and that including experts does not mean Lebanon is going to direct negotiations with Israel or paving the way for future normalization or economic cooperation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Wednesday that the inclusion of Israeli National Security Council official Uri Resnick is "an initial attempt to establish a basis for a relationship and economic cooperation between Israel and Lebanon." He described the Naqoura talks as a "government-economic" meeting.

Al-Liwaa newspaper meanwhile reported that Hezbollah will leave the decision to Berri, although the group is displeased with Karam's inclusion in the delegation.

The daily added that Iran has told Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil that it does not object to direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel and that the decision is up to Amal and Hezbollah.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel, who met Thursday with Aoun, lauded for his part the negotiations and said he hopes they would be fruitful and would lead to a halt to the Israeli attacks and occupation. Gemayel also called for a complete disarmament of Hezbollah and for a full state control on all territories.