U.N. peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) soldiers and Lebanese Army soldiers stand guard at a checkpoint in Naqoura, near the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon, on Oct. 27, 2022. (Credit: Aziz Taher/Reuters)
The monitoring committee for the cease-fire between Lebanon and Israel (known as the "Mechanism") met on Wednesday in Naqoura (southern Lebanon) without civilian representatives, a military source told L’Orient-Le Jour, without providing further details.
According to Al Markazia, the meeting was attended by representatives of the Lebanese and Israeli armies, American and French officers, and the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Unlike previous meetings, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut did not issue any official statement.
During the two previous meetings, on Dec. 3 and 19, Lebanon was represented by diplomat Simon Karam, while Israel was represented by its civilian official, Uri Resnic.
On Dec. 19, the U.S. Embassy emphasized that the committee had focused particularly on the “economic priorities” of the two countries, in addition to issues of military “cooperation” and reconstruction.
Washington was represented by envoy Morgan Ortagus, who was absent on Wednesday. “She is reportedly on administrative leave,” a security source told L’Orient-Le Jour.
According to Al Markazia, Ortagus also expressed reluctance to attend the Jan. 7 meeting, stating that “these meetings are repetitive and no major progress is being made.”
This Mechanism meeting took place on the eve of a Cabinet meeting at which the Lebanese government is expected to hear from the army commander, Rodolph Haykal, and review the monthly report on the implementation of the Hezbollah disarmament plan.
The second phase of this plan, concerning disarmament north of the Litani River, remains an intensely contested issue for Hezbollah.
Despite the cease-fire that came into effect at the end of 2024 after a year of war, Israel continues to carry out regular strikes in Lebanon, claiming to mainly target Hezbollah and occasionally Hamas.
The Lebanese Army had planned to complete the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani by the end of 2025, before expanding its mission to the rest of the country.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun insisted that the plan is “being implemented professionally and precisely” and on Wednesday denied any reports that the army had not fulfilled its missions.
“There is no truth to what is being spread by Israel and certain local sources about the army not carrying out its assigned missions,” he said before Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations, who is visiting Beirut.
Israel, for its part, doubts the effectiveness of the Lebanese Army and accuses Hezbollah of rearming. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that the disarmament efforts were insufficient.
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