Coordinated U.S.–Israeli Moves

Political activity between Washington and Tel Aviv toward Lebanon has converged noticeably in recent hours. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued instructions to dispatch an Israeli representative to Naqoura to begin direct contact with the Lebanese side under the title of “economic cooperation” — a move seen as an initial attempt to pave the way for a disguised normalization track between the two countries.

In parallel, the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar reported that President Joseph Aoun informed the United States of his decision to appoint Paul Salem, president of the Middle East Institute in Washington, as Lebanon’s representative in direct negotiations with Israel — a step that has generated tension with Hezbollah and discontent from Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, particularly amid the absence of internal consensus on the mechanisms and structure of such negotiations.

In a second step, Aoun appointed Simon Karam as ambassador and head of the Lebanese delegation to the Ceasefire Monitoring Commission, in what the Presidency described as a defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty “in response to U.S. efforts.” Reports, however, spoke of direct pressure and threats exerted by Washington on Beirut to initiate this track.

These successive indicators suggest that a negotiation landscape is taking shape amid growing fears that the file may become yet another tool for imposing U.S.–Israeli dictates on Lebanese decision-making at a highly sensitive regional moment.

The Lebanese street begins to rise up against negotiations with the “Zionist enemy” — as popular groups have started protesting the decision, in solidarity with the positions of opposing political forces and in rejection of any normalization or negotiations with Israel under any pretext.