The time for dialogue between Lebanon and Israel is 'now,' says UN coordinator

Just days before the first anniversary of the cease-fire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, told the Security Council Thursday that "in the interest of the stability and security that Lebanon and Israel say they seek, the moment for dialogue and negotiations is now."

Speaking on the evolving regional context during a briefing dedicated to the implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006), alongside Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Hennis-Plasschaert said that "unique opportunities" are available to both Lebanon and Israel: the former "must seize this moment," and the latter "must do so as well."

She reminded the council that the presence of Israeli forces north of the Blue Line and Israel's intense military activity throughout the country "continue to constitute violations of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity." According to her, the status quo "serves neither Israel's nor Lebanon's strategic interests" and is "a clear warning of greater instability to come, if not today, then tomorrow."

The special coordinator also said that since the truce, "notable progress has been made on some issues, while others remain at a standstill. Time is running out. Lebanon can no longer afford to be seen as dragging its feet, either regarding its participation in dialogue or establishing a monopoly on arms in the hands of the state."

While praising the progress made by the Lebanese army in tackling weapons held by non-state actors, particularly south of the Litani River, Hennis-Plasschaert reiterated the urgent need for a comprehensive government approach to extend state authority. "The army alone cannot bring Resolution 1701 to life," she said.

The special coordinator also emphasized that reforms in Lebanon are just as urgent, particularly to unblock essential funding for recovery and reconstruction. "Lebanon must seize this window of opportunity, rather than falling back into the internal political one-upmanship that has paralyzed the country for far too long," she added.

On Thursday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated that Lebanon was ready to engage in dialogue with Israel and would seek help from the United States to facilitate negotiations, saying the reasons why Tel Aviv had yet to respond to this offer to negotiate remained "a mystery" to him.

In an interview published Thursday by Bloomberg, he also said that Hezbollah's disarmament "is underway," while calling for better equipment for the Lebanese Army, at a time when Israel is stepping up airstrikes against Hezbollah in the South.

Indeed, one year after the truce brokered by the United States and France took effect, tensions remain high. On Wednesday, Israel hammered southern Lebanon, striking several localities after issuing warnings and evacuation calls online, and on Tuesday killed 13 Palestinians in three strikes in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp.

The Israeli army still occupies at least six hills on the Lebanese side of the border and continues near-daily strikes — both in this region and the Bekaa Valley.