Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the acting head of Israel’s National Security Council to send a representative to a meeting with government and economic officials in Lebanon, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Wednesday.
The prime minister’s statement comes amid increasing pressure from the U.S. administration to prevent the collapse of the cease-fire agreement between the two countries.
According to the statement, the move marks the first attempt to establish a foundation for economic relations and cooperation between the two countries, which do not have diplomatic ties. The Prime Minister’s Office described the effort as an exploratory step aimed at identifying shared economic interests and potential areas of coordination.
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Lebanon’s presidential spokesperson, Najat Sharafeddine, said earlier Wednesday that the U.S. informed Lebanon that Israel had agreed to send a “non-military” member to the international committee overseeing the implementation of the cease-fire agreement in Lebanon.
Until now, the committee was composed of military representatives from Lebanon, the U.S., France, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. According to a decision by the Lebanese president, it will now include civilian representatives.
According to the spokeswoman, former Lebanese ambassador to the U.S. Simon Karam, known for his opposition to Hezbollah, has been appointed head of the Lebanese delegation to the committee.